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AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


A  PRACTICAL  WORK  ON  SQUAB 
CULTURE  COVERING  EVERY 
PHASE  or  THE  RAISING,  HOUS- 
ING AND  MARKETING  OF  SQUABS 


V  BY 

E.   H.    EGGLESTON 


SECOND     EDITION,     REVISED 

BY  THE  AUTHOR 


PUBLISHED   BY 

AMERICAN  PIGEON  JOURNAL  COMPANY 

WARRENTON,  MO.,  U.   S.  A. 

1921 


^^m 


/ 


Copyright,    1916 
By  E.   H.   Eggleston. 

Copyright.    1921 
By  Frank  H.  Hollmann. 


Publishers^  Note 


For  many  years  there  has  l)eeii  a  great  need,  in  fact  an  urgent 
demand,  for  a  standard  work  on  i^igeon  and  squab  raising, 
which  could  l)e  used  not  only  as  a  textbook  by  the  schools  and 
colleges  but  also  as  a  manual  and  guide  for  the  beginner  and 
a  reference  book  for  the  experienced  breeder.  This  need  and 
demand  have  been  fully  met  by  the  publication  of  American 
Squab  Culture. 

The  first  edition  was  strongly  endorsed  by  the  State  Agricul- 
tural Colleges  of  the  United  States,  the  Agricultural  Department 
of  the  Canadian  Government,  American  Library  Association, 
U.  S.  Government  Library  War  Service,  American  Squab 
Breeders  Association,  National  Pigeon  Association,  American 
Pigeon  Journal,  Pigeon  News,  American  Pigeon  Keeper,  National 
Squab  Magazine,  and  the  recognized  pigeon  authorities.  Ameri- 
can squab  breeders  eagerly  welcomed  the  first  edition.  It  also 
became  very  popular  among  the  breeders  in  England,  Australia, 
South  America,  South  Africa,  China,  East  Indies,  and  many 
other  countries. 

In  this  second  edition  Mr.  Eggleston,  the  author,  has  entirely 
revised  and  rewritten  the  book  thus  bringing  it  down  to  date, 
and  making  it  highly  valuable  for  the  great  variety  of  service- 
able information  which  it  holds.  Important  material  on  the 
construction  of  squab  houses  has  been  added,  also  a  large  num- 
ber of  new  illustrations.  The  book  now  thoroughly  covers  over 
a  hundred  different  subjects  and  includes  every  known  branch 
of  the  squab  industry. 

AMERICAN  PIGEON  JOURNAL  COMPANY. 


E.   H.   EGGLESTOX 


PREFACE 


The  purpose  of  this  book  is  to  furnish  complete  and  ready 
information  on  all  subjects  pertaining  to  the  raising  of  pigeons 
for  profit  and  pleasure.  For  the  benefit  of  those  who  desire  to 
])ecome  familiar  with  squab  breeding,  for  those  who  desire 
to  go  into  the  squab  or  pigeon  business  and  for  those  who  are 
in  the  business  in  any  form  or  for  any  purpose. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  squab  industry  in  America,  coupled 
with  the  fact  that  there  is  considerable  to  learn  about  the  care 
and  breeding  of  pigeons,  has  created  a  demand  for  a  book  which 
will  furnish  complete  and  specific  information,  and  intelligent 
explanation  of  the  possibilities  of  the  squab  industry. 

While  there  are  many  things  to  be  learned  on  the  subject  of 
keeping  pigeons  both  for  pleasure  and  profit,  much  more  than 
one  would  naturally  believe,  the  knowledge  is  of  such  a  nature 
that  it  can  be  readily  grasped,  provided  it  is  sought  for  in  a 
careful  and  systematic  manner. 

To  read  this  book  through  as  you  would  a  novel,  or  story  book, 
will  give  only  a  slight  general  knowledge  of  the  subject,  but  if 
a  thorough  knowledge  is  desired,  the  book  must  be  read  and 
studied  as  a  school  textbook. 

In  order  to  get  the  most  out  of  the  various  subjects  treated 
herein,  the  reader  should  have  had  some  practical  experience 
previously  or  be  engaged  in  pigeon  raising  at  the  time  the 
book  is  read. 

In  writing  on  the  various  topics  in  this  book,  I  have  deemed 
it  necessary  to  explain  certain  facts  and  details  more  than  once 
in  order  to  cover  closely  connected  subjects  in  a  general  yet 

5 


6  PREFACE 

compact  way.  Then,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  desire  to  study 
each  specific  subject,  I  have  treated  them  separately  under  their 
respective  heads.  By  this  method,  each  article  is  more  complete 
and  if  read  separately  from  other  articles,  the  most  necessary 
information  on  that  and  kindred  subjects  will  be  obtained. 

The  reader  will  find  kindred  subjects  grouped  in  the  Table 
of  Contents  under  sub-heads  which  will  furnish  a  ready  reference 
to  all  subjects  contained  herein. 

E.  H.  EGGLESTON. 
Chicago,  Illinois. 

June  1,  1921. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

Page 

WHY    RAISE    SQUABS? 13 


The   Squab  Industry  of  America. 


13 


Raising   Squabs   for  Profit 1* 

Squabs  Can  Be  Raised  by  Almost  Anyone 16 

Squabs  Can  Be  Raised  Almost  Anywhere 18 

When  to  Start  in  the  Squab  Business 19 

The   Increasing  Demand  for   Squabs 20 

Pigeon   Habits   and   Characteristics 21 

CHAPTER  H 


GETTING  STARTED  RIGHT 

The    Way    to    Start 

Raising  Squabs  for  Home  Consumption 
Raising   Pigeons   with   Chickens 


25 

25 

29 

30 

Raising    Pigeons    for    Pleasure 33 

Ornamental  Squab  House  for  Side  or  Front  Yard 34 

CHAPTER  HI 

CARNEAUX    35 

Origin  and  Development  of  the   Carneau 35 

The   Proper  W^eight  for  Carneaux 37 

Carneaux  with  Slate  Colored  Feathers 39 

Yellow   Carneaux 40 

White  Carneaux    41 

Black  Carneaux    45 

Utility  Rather  Than  Fancy 47 

Solid    Colored    Carneaux 50 

.......  ^ 


8  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IV 

Page 

OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS 53 

Homers    53 

Giant    Runts    55 

Hungarians     60 

Maltese    61 

Swiss  Mondaines    64 

Polish    Lynx    67 

AVhite   Kings    68 

Cross    Breeds     71 

CHAPTER  V 

FEEDS  AND  FEEDING 74 

■\Vhen  and  How  to  Feed 74 

What    to    Feed    77 

Composition    of    Pigeon    Feed 80 

Table  of  Food  Analysis 85 

Grains   and   Seeds    86 

Feeding  Bread  to  Pigeons   89 

^Vhat    Pigeon    Milk    Is 90 

The   High   Cost   of   Feed 91 

CHAPTER  VI 

GRIT,  CHARCOAL,   SALT  AND  WATER 92 

Grit,    Sand    and    Gravel 92 

Charcoal 93 

Oyster    Shell    94 

Salt    94 

Sulphate  of  Iron    95 

Drinking  Water  lor  Pigeons 96 

Bathing 98 

CHAPTER  VII 

CARE    OF    PENS,    BANDING,    NESTING    MATERIAL.. 101 

Care  of  Squab  Plant .' .  .  101 

Care   of   Fly   Pens ; 102 

How   to   Band    102 

Nesting  Material    106 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  9 

CHAPTER  VIII 

Page 

ENEMIES    OF    THE    SQUAB    PLANT 107 

Lice,    Mites    and    Other    Vermin 107 

Cats,    Rats    and    Mice     110 

Thieves   and   Bad   Boys Ill 

Sparrows,    Hawks    and    Owls Ill 

CHAPTER  IX 

MOULTING    AND    COLOR    BREEDING    113 

Moulting    113 

Explanation  of  Feather  Coloring 114 

How  to  Breed  Yellow,   Dun  or  Silver  Colored  Pigeons 116 

Inbreeding    119 

CHAPTER  X 

PIGEON  DISEASES  AND   REMEDIES 121 

General    Remarks    • 121 

Roup    and    Colds     122 

"Going    Light"     123 

Sore    Eyes     124 

Lumps   on   Wings    126 

Sore  Feet    126 

Mud    Balls    127 

Simple    Remedies     127 

Feeding  Weak  or  Sick  Pigeons 130 

Feeding  Squabs  by  Hand 130 

Helpful   Remedies 132 

CHAPTER  XI 

MATING   AND    SELECTION   OF   BREEDING   STOCK 135 

How  Pigeons  Mate    135 

How  to  Tell  Male  from  Female 139 

The  Growth  of  a  Squab 141 

Anatomy  of   the   Pigeon    144 

How  to  Keep  an  Equal  Number  of  Males  and  Females 148 

What  to  Do  with  Odd  Cocks 149 


10  TABLE  OP  CONTENTS 

Page 

Best   Method   to   Improve   the   Quality  of   a   Flock 149 

Selection    of    Youngsters    for    Breeding    Purposes 150 

CHAPTER  XII 

PROPER    CARE    OF    SQUABS    AND    YOUNGSTERS 154 

Soft    Shelled    Eggs    154 

Barren    Females     154 

When  But  One  Egg  Hatches,  Or,  When  One  Squab  Dies 155 

How    to    Tell    the    Period    of    Incubation 156 

When   Both   Squabs   Die   Before   Three   Days    Old 158 

One    Squab    Smaller    Than    the    Other 159 

Old  Birds   That  Abandon   Their  Eggs 159 

Squabs   That  Leave  the   Nest  Too   Soon ISO 

When  to  Remove   Squabs  From   Nest   Room 161 

How  to  Care  for   Squabs   After  They   Leave   the  Nest    162 

When  Pigeons  Get  Old 164 

Infertile    Eggs    166 


CHAPTER  XIH 

RAISING    PIGEONS    FOR    EXHIBITION    PURPOSES 167 

Value   of   Raising    Show    Birds    167 

How,   When   and   Where    to   Exhibit    168 

Raising    and    Selling    Squab    Breeding    Stock 169 

Raising   Pigeons   to   a   Standard 172 


CHAPTER  XIV 

PREPARING    SQUABS    FOR    MARKET    179 

General  Appearance  of  Product    179 

How    to    Kill    and    Pick    Squabs 180 

Picking  Squabs  by  Use  of  Paraffin 181 

Shipping   Dressed   Squabs    182 

Shipping    Squabs    to    Market    183 

Shipping    Squabs    a    Long    Distance 184 

How   to   Ship   Live   Pigeons 185 

How   to   Cook  and   Serve   Squabs 186 

Educating  the  Customer  to  Good  Squabs  and  Prices 188 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  11 

CHAPTER  XV 

Page 

CONSTRUCTION    OF    SQUAB    HOUSES     191 

Squab  Houses  I  have  Seen 191 

Speed  and  Economy  Vs.   Old   Fashioned  Methods 200 

The  Kind  of  a  Squab  House  to  Build 200 

How  to  Build  a  One   or  Many  Unit   Squab  House 205 

Squab  Houses   for   Small   Plants    210 

Squab  Houses   for   Large   Plants 210 

Preparing    Ground   for    Squab    Plant    212 

How  to    Build   a   Squab   House 215 

Aisle-In-Front    Plan    215 

How  to  Construct  Overhead  Exit  Leading  from   

Nest    Room    to    Fly    Pen 217 

How   to    Build   a    Fly   Pen 218 

How  to   MaKO   Wire   Door  Frame   and   Gate 222 


CHAPTER  XVI 

EQUIPMENT    AND    LOFT    NECESSITIES     224 

Eggleston   Double   Nest   System    224 

How  to  Build   Eggleston   Double   Nests 227 

Light  and  Air  for   Squab  Houses    231 

Collapsible    Mating    Coops    232 

How   to   Build  a  Bath   Trough    234 

How  to  Supply  Drinking  Water  for  Nest  Rooms  in 

Southern   or    Warm    Climate    237 

Feed    Boxes    238 

How   to   Make   a   Feed   Box    239 

Double    Deck    Feed    Boxes    242 

How  to  Build  Feed  Hoppers 242 

How  to  Make  Grit  Hoppers    244 

The  Eggleston  Nest  Material  Rack    245 


CHAPTER  XVH 

MANAGEMENT    AND    BOOKKEEPING    247 

Methods  of  Management   247 

How  to  Dream  the  Maximum  Squab  Yield 248 


12  ,  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Page 

Bookkeeping     249 

Causes  of  Failure    250 

Do's  and  Don'ts  for  Squab   Breeders 252 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

FANCY  PIGEONS    255 

Characteristics    of    Different    Varieties    255 

Raising    Fancy    Pigeons    256 

Mating   Fancy   Pigeons    257 

Developing    Fancy    Pigeons    257 

CHAPTER  XIX 

PIGEONS    THAT    HAVE    FREE    RANGE 259 

Care  of  Common  Pigeons    259 

How  and  When  to  Feed  and  Water  Pigeons  That  Fly  Out 260 

How  to  Construct  Nesting  Places  for  Pigeons  That  Fly  Out 261 

Outdoor   House   for   Pigeons   That   Fly   at   Liberty 265 

How   to  Keep  Pigeons  That  Fly   Out  From   Leaving  Homo 268 

Roosting    Places    For   Young    Pigeons    That    Fly    Out 269 

CHAPTER  XX 

HOW    TO    SUCCEED     271 

Learn    Your    Business    271 

Start   Right    272 

Close    Attention     272 

Details  Are  Important    272 

Make   Work   Easy    273 

Love  Your  Work    273 

INDEX    275 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


CHAPTER    I 
WHY  RAISE  SQUABS? 

THE  SQUAB  INDUSTRY   OF  AMERICA 

From  time  immemorial  pigeons  have  been  kept  in  a  domesti- 
cated state  during  which  time  many  of  them  have  served  the 
purpose  of  furnishing  the  tables  of  mankind  with  wholesome 
and  nutritious  food  but,  it  has  been  left  for  American  ingenuity 
to  put  the  rearing  of  squabs  in  large  numbers  upon  a  com- 
mercial basis. 

Different  persons  have  claimed  the  honor  of  tliis  achievement 
and  your  author  will  not  attempt  to  say  who  is  the  real  founder 
of  the  industry.  Squab  raising  is  only  in  its  infancy  and  as  the 
requirements  of  meat  production  in  America  is  an  ever  present 
one,  this  work  is  written  in  the  hope  that  some  new  light  may  be 
shed  upon  this  subject. 

Everybody  engaged  in  pigeon  raising,  whether  they  keep  a 
pair  of  common  pigeons  in  the  back  yard,  or  breed  pigeons  for 
pleasure  or  for  racing,  or  own  a  squab  plant,  large  or  small,  are 
more  or  less  interested  and  come  under  the  head  of  pigeon 
raisers  or  squab  breeders. 

In  dealing  with  this  question,  I  shall  try  to  treat  it  along  the 
line  of  economy  in  time  and  expense,  and  to  make  it  as  instruc- 
tive as  possible. 

While  the  various  subjects  of  interest  to  squab  breeders  will 
be  my  chief  topic,  pigeons  are  pigeons,  and  consequently  there 
are  many  methods  which  apply  equally  to  the  fancier  and  the 
squab  breeder,  so  I  will  give  these  common  points  due  con- 
sideration as  I  go  along. 

13 


14  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

RAISING  SQUABS  FOR  PROFIT 

Is  there  money  in  squabs?  This  is  usually  the  first  question 
that  flashes  across  our  mind  when  we  first  learn  of  the  industry, 
and  again  the  question  is  first  asked  when  we  contemplate  enter- 
ing the  business.  Even  those  actually  engaged  in  a  small  or 
irregular  way  often  ask  of  themselves:  Is  there  money  in  squabs? 

For  the  benefit  of  all  interested,  I  will  give  a  synopsis  of  the 
possibilities  of  the  squab  business,  and  some  facts  and  figures 
which  should  convince  every  "doubting  Thomas"  that  money 
can    be   made   raising   squabs.     Almost   any    industry    can    be 


GROUP   OF   BELGIAN    CARXEAIX 

figured  out  with  pencil  and  a  piece  of  paper  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  a  skeptical  mind,  and  for  that  reason  I  will  not  under- 
take to  figure  the  profits  of  the  business  from  an  assumed 
basis.  I  will  give  the  cost  of  breeders;  the  cost  of  equipment; 
how  much  it  takes  to  feed  and  care  for  squab  producers;  the 
number  of  squabs  an  average  pair  will  produce  annually  under 
normal  conditions;  and  the  average  market  value  of  squabs  in 
the  various  sections  of  the  United  States.  With  these  facts  one 
can  make  his  own  calculations,  taking  into  consideration  his 
locality,  market  facilities,  the  number  of  birds  he  expects  to 
handle,  and  the  amount  of  time  he  expects  to  devote  to  the 
business.    While  there  are  thousands  of  people  throughout  the 


WHY  RAISE   SQUABS?  15 

United  States  making  money  raising  squabs,  there  are  many 
who  are  not  succeeding,  and  some  who  have  no  knowledge  of 
whether  they  are  making  or  losing  money. 

Belgian  Carneaux  are  conceded  to  be  good,  average  all-around 
squab  producers.  Therefore,  I  will  take  this  breed  as  a  standard 
from  which  to  figure  profit  and  loss. 

The  first  item  of  expense  to  be  reckoned  in  squab  raising  is 
ground  space.  If  a  squab  plant  is  built  in  the  country,  naturally 
the  ground  space  is  worth  but  little.  If  it  is  built  on  the  back 
end  of  a  lot,  it  is  also  a  small  item,  but  if  built  on  a  lot  purchased 
for  that  purpose,  a  fair  interest  on  the  value  of  the  portion  of 
the  lot  used  must  be  added  annually  to  expense. 

Good  Carneaux  from  a  reliable  breeder  can  be  purchased  for 
about  $5  a  pair.  House  room,  fly  pen,  nest  boxes  and  other 
equipment,  suitable  for  the  average  American  climate,  will  cost 
for  lumber  and  labor  about  $1.70  a  pair,  provided  a  house  is 
planned  sufficient  for  as  many  as  160  pairs;  less  than  that 
number  the  building  would  cost  more,  proportionately  up  to 
$3.00  a  pair.  This  is  based  upon  the  loft,  fly  pen,  and  nest 
box  system  described  in  this  book,  and  it  is  firmly  believed 
that  the  houses  and  buildings  described  herein  will  be  as  cheap 
as  any.  Forty  pairs  of  squab  Ijreeders  will  do  well  in  one  room, 
8  by  10,  feet,  with  fly  pen  8  by  12  feet,  making  a  total  space  of 
8  by  26  feet,  counting  a  4-foot  aisle.  It  will  cost  to  feed  a  pair  of 
Carneaux  for  one  year,  including  their  squabs,  until  killing  age, 
$1.80  or  less. 

One  man  can,  with  good  equipment  and  convenient  arrange- 
ments care  for  2,000  pairs  of  birds,  with  the  services  of  one  extra 
man  or  two  extra  boys  or  girls  to  help  pick  on  killing  days,  so 
the  proportionate  annual  expense  of  caring  for  squab  breeders 
will  be  about  25  cents  per  pair,  in  excess  of  feed  and  housing. 

The  breeding  life  of  a  pair  of  Carneaux  is  easily  six  years, 
so  one-sixth  of  the  purchase  price  of  the  breeders  should  be 
charged  off  annually,  and  it  is  also  a  good  plan  to  charge  off 
10%  of  the  cost  price  of  buildings  and  equipment  annually, 
although  buildings  used  for  squab  purposes  will  last  a  long 
time  if  painted  regularly  and  properly  cared  for. 

Taking  all  the  above  into  consideration,  and  allowing  an  extra 
percentage  for  waste  and  other  leakages,  the  expense  will  run 
less  than  $2.50  a  year  per  pair.    With  ordinary  care  and  treat- 


16  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

merit,  a  pair  of  Carneaux  will  easily  average  16  squabs  a  year, 
which  will  bring  on  any  market,  the  year  around,  $5.00  a  dozen. 

An  economical  person  will  be  enabled  to  reduce  the  above 
expense.  With  careful  and  systematic  attention,  a  pair 
can  be  made  to  produce  a  larger  number  annually;  with  a  little 
good  judgment  and  effort  used  in  the  selling  end,  squabs  can 
be  sold  for  more  than  $5.00  a  dozen.  These  are  facts  that  have 
been  demonstrated  over  and  over  again,  by  actual  experience 
and  by  tests,  and  can  be  depended  upon  to  be  correct.  With  this 
information  it  will  be  an  easy  matter  for  one  to  calculate  how 
much  he  can  count  on  making  from  each  pair  of  birds,  provided 
he  has  good  breeders,  properly  housed  and  cared  for,  and  a 
market. 

If  squabs  are  sold  to  a  private  trade,  hotels,  clubs,  or  shipped 
to  some  commission  merchant  in  New  York  or  the  large  cities, 
they  will  bring  more  than  $5.00  a  dozen,  but  I  have  used  this 
figure  as  a  minimum  amount  that  good  squabs  will  bring  in 
almost  any  market. 

Does  it  pay  to  raise  squabs,  can  be  answered  in  fewer  words 
than  the  above.  There  is  an  unlimited  demand  for  squabs  at 
a  fair  price  in  America.  Good  squab  breeders  can  be  purchased 
at  a  fair  price.  The  right  kind  of  breeders  are  very  prolific, 
healthy  and  easy  to  handle,  and  the  expense  of  feed,  care  and 
interest  on  investment  for  any  number  of  squab  breeders  will 
not  equal  the  amount  received  from  the  sale  of  their  squabs.  This 
is  being  proved  by  the  hundreds  of  breeders  daily,  all  over  the 
country,  but  as  the  price  of  feed,  method  of  handling  and  price 
of  squabs  vary,  there  cannot  be  a  fixed  percentage  of  profit 
determined  upon. 

SQUABS  CAN  BE  RAISED  BY  ALMOST  ANYONE 

Lawyers,  bankers,  doctors,  merchants,  farmers,  laboring  men, 
in  fact  men  of  all  walks  of  life,  and  women  and  children  can  raise 
squabs  in  large  or  small  quantities  if  the  proper  interest  is  taken. 

Contrary  to  the  average  opinion,  squabs  can  be  raised  profita- 
bly in  the  towns  and  cities  of  America,  as  well  as  in  the  villages 
and  country,  but  not  on  as  large  a  scale  unless  a  place  is  pro- 
vided in  the  suburbs.  A  small  backyard  is  sufficient  space  to 
accommodate  quite  a  number  of  squab  breeders. 

It  only  takes  a  ground  space  of  8x24  feet  to  comfortably  house 
and  care  for  30  to  40  pairs  of  squab  breeders.    This  much  space 


WHT  RAISE  SQUABS? 


17 


can  easily  be  squeezed  out  oi  almost  any  city  lot  without  interfer- 
ing ^*'the  ordinary  use  ot  the  lot.  Any  housewife  or  a  boy 
of  tiie  family  can,  with  an  hour  or  two  of  f "^^^^^^^f^  day, 
devoted  to  the  industry,  care  for  40  to  80  pairs  of  breeders^  wito- 
out  neglecting  other  duties  and,  in  fact,  ""^^  P^t' irv  'hat 
greatly  benetoed  by  the  outdoor  exercise  and  diversity  that 
would  come  through  such  a  pursuit. 

There  is  always  a  local  market  that  can  be  supplied  with  a 
few  squabs,  including  hotels,  restaurants,  hospitals,  or  a  private 
trade  which  will  more  than  consume  the  squab  output  of  a 
small  plant  without  much  effort  on  the  part  of  the  owner.    At 


FOUR   UNIT    SQUAB   HOUSE   AND   FLY    PEN   FRAME   COMPLETE 
FOUR   UWll    »W^^^^  ^^^  COVERING  WITH  WIRE 

the  nresent  high  cost  of  all  meats,  it  would  be  profitable  for  al- 
most any  "amify  to  raise  as  many  squabs  as  they  could  consume; 
rallcases  in'addition  thereto,  enough  squabs  can  be  sold  o 
more  than  buy  the  feed  and  defray  other  expenses  so  that  it  is 
Tsy  possible'  for  a  family  to  reduce  ^-r  meat  bill  mat  naUy 
bv  keeping  a  few  squabs  in  their  own  back  yard.  Almost  any 
mechanic  or  laborer,  clerk,  business  or  P«f  ^^^'"'^^l  ^='"; ':^" 
Tare  enough  time  daily  to  personally  take  care  of  50  to  1(X) 
pMrs  of  squab  breeders,  which  will  not  only  prove  profitable, 
but  furnish  recreation  as  well. 


18  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

In  the  winter,  when  the  days  are  short,  a  trustworthy  neighbor 
boy  can  generally  be  found  who  can  be  employed  for  a  small 
sum  to  feed  and  water  the  breeders  provided  the  owuer  leaves 
home  before  or  after  dark,  and  a  neighbor  boy  can  be  secured 
for  a  nominal  sum  to  come  once  or  twice  a  week  the  year  round 
for  the  purpose  of  cleaning,  whitewashing  or  doing  similar  work. 

Squab  raising  or  caring  for  a  squab  plant  is  really  a  pleasant 
occupation,  especially  for  those  who  like  to  "keep  busy."  There 
is  always  something  to  do  and  the  work  is  not  unpleasant. 

SQUABS  CAN  BE  RAISED  ALMOST  ANYWHERE 

Whether  one  lives  in  the  nortli,  south,  east  or  west — in  a  city, 
a  village  or  in  the  country,  squabs  can  be  raised  profitably  with 
the  proper  care  and  attention. 

There  are  no  offensive  odors  from  a  squab  plant,  and  the  birds 
do  not  make  enough  noise  to  bother  the  nearest  neighbors. 
Therefore,  there  can  be  no  serious  objection  on  the  part  of  the 
neighbors  to  squabs  being  raised  near  them.  It  is  trnr^  that 
pigeons  do  a  lot  of  cooing,  and  while  it  sounds  loud  at  closr 
range,  the  noise  does  not  carry  very  far,  and  raniiol  he  heard 
to  any  extent,  50  feet  from  a  scpiah  plant.  A  laigr  jdaiil  can 
l)e  easily  maintained  in  the  sul)ui'bs  in  an>  town  oi-  citx  ahoni 
as  profitably  as  in  the  country. 

There  are  some  advantages  gained  ])y  having  a  sc|nal)  i)lant 
in  the  country,  that  is,  on  a  farm,  but  there  are  other  advantages 
in  a  town  or  city  squab  plant,  and  in  some  respects  one  oftsets 
the  other.  As  an  example,  ground  space  in  the  comitry  is  no 
item.  Some  special  feeds  can  be  raised  to  an  advantage  and 
other  foods  can  often  be  purchased  in  the  country  cheaper  than 
in  town,  but  on  the  other  hand,  the  conveniences  of  city  water, 
the  advantage  of  a  close  market  and  shipping  facilities  will 
offset  many  of  the  farm  advantages  and  conveniences. 

I  have  often  heard  people  make  the  remark  that  if  they  lived 
in  the  country,  where  they  could  raise  their  own  feed,  they 
would  go  into  the  squab  business  extensively.  They  did  not 
stop  to  figure  that  there  was  very  little  advantage  to  be  gained 
by  such  a  method,  for  the  reason  that  all  kinds  of  grain  and 
pigeon  feed  can  be  sold  or  purchased  at  the  market  price,  and 
if  one  raises  his  own  feed  it  has  onlv  a  market  value.     That 


WTIY   RAISE   SQUABS?  19 

is  to  say,  if  one  raises  squabs  and  grain,  the  amount  of  grain 
that  he  feeds  his  birds  should  be  charged  up  against  his  birds, 
and  credited  to  grain,  for  he  could  have  sold  his  grain  on  the 
market,  and  taken  the  same  money  and  bought  grain  from  a 
neighbor  with  which  to  feed  his  squabs.  The  two  businesses, 
therefore,  are  separate  industries.  Of  course,  if  grain  is  used  on 
a  farm  where  it  is  raised,  the  expense  of  delivery  is  eliminated, 
and  it  is  possible  to  raise  a  particular  kind  especially  for  pig- 
eons to  an  advantage  over  purchasing  it,  on  account  of  freight 
■charges  and  middlem^an's  profit. 

One  of  the  greatest  assets  of  a  squab  plant  located  on  a  farm 
is  the  fact  that  a  farmer  could  in  many  cases  use  an  extra  hand 
if  he  was  raising  squabs  as  a  part  of  his  business;  while  without 
the  squab  plant  he  would  not  have  sufficient  work  to  justify 
an  extra  hand,  and  the  man  with  just  a  squab  plant  would 
also  not  have  sufficient  work  to  justify  an  extra  hand.  As  an 
example,  chickens  require  careful  attention  in  the  morning  and 
night,  especially  during  the  hatching  and  brooding  season. 
Pigeons  can  be  cared  for  any  time  during  the  day,  so  a  chicken 
raiser  could  breed  squabs  to  an  advantage. 

Probably  the  best  way  for  one  to  calculate  the  most  suitable 
place  to  raise  squabs  is  to  reckon  from  his  present  position,  and 
then  change  his  location  and  vocation  the  smallest  degree  pos- 
sible to  enable  him  to  embark  in  the  squab  industry  on  a  scale 
his  experience  and  convenience  will  permit,  and  then  change 
his  location  and  vocation  as  the  growth  of  the  squab  industry 
demanded. 

WHEN  TO  START  IN  THE  SQUAB  BUSINESS 

Josh  Billings  wrote  that  "the  time  to  set  a  hen  was  when  the 
hen  was  ready."  Pigeons  breed  the  year  round.  There  is  noth- 
ing therefore  to  be  gained  in  waiting  for  a  certain  time  of  the 
year  to  start.  It  seems  to  be  natural  for  every  person  to  want 
to  undertake  some  outdoor  work  in  the  spring  of  the  year.  All 
nature  seems  to  be  awake  at  that  period,  and  the  human  body 
and  mind  is  no  exception,  and  for  that  reason  more  people 
start  raising  squabs  in  the  spring  than  any  other  season.  I 
know  no  other  reason  for  so  doing,  and  there  is  no  advantage 
to   be    gained   by   starting   one    month    over   another.     Squabs 


20  AMERICAN    SQUAB     CULTURE 

bring  more  money  in  the  winter  than  during  the  summer 
months,  so  if  it  is  going  to  be  a  question  of  raismg  birds  for 
market,  the  fall  would  be  as  good  a  time  as  any,  but  if  tiic 
start  is  made  at  any  other  time,  the  advantages  of  the  winter 
market  would  be  enjoyed  just  the  same.  I  would  say  therefore 
that  the  time  to  enter  the  squab  business  is  NOW,  and  the  place, 
with  a  few  exceptions,  is  your  present  location. 

THE  INCREASING  DEMAND  FOR  SQUABS 

More  and  more  the  general  public  is  learning  to  api)reciate 
the  true  value  of  squabs  as  a  food. 


^^^ 


FANCY    DRESSED    SQUABS    READY    FOR   MARKET 

The  rapid  decrease  of  the  supply  of  meat  in  the  United  States, 
coupled  with  the  rapid  increase  of  the  price  of  meat,  the  former 
being  the  principal  cause  of  the  latter,  is  a  problem  that  will 
have  to  be  met  sooner  or  later,  or  the  people  of  America  will, 
like  Europeans,  be  forced  to  go  without  meat  except  on  Sunday 
or  rare  occasions. 

Our  pn|)ulatiou  is  iiicicasing  about  two  million  a  year  and  the 
annual   decrease  in  beef  cattle,  caused   by   the  settling  of  the 


WHY   RAISE   SQUABS?  '  21 

western  grazing  land,  goes  into  the  millions.  The  game  in 
America  once  so  plentiful  is  about  extinct,  and  as  time  goes  on 
these  conditions  will  increase  more  rapidly  and  will  be  moi-e 
noticeable  each  year. 

Viewing  the  meat  question  and  squab  raising  from  a  broader 
standpoint,  the  time  is  rapidly  coming  when  large  squab  plants 
are  going  to  be  found  in  every  section  of  this  country,  as  the 
public  learn  more  of  the  value  of  squab  meat,  its  delicious 
flavor  and  its  cost  when  comparing  its  nutritiousness  with 
that  of  other  meats,  squab  meat  will  become  more  and  more 
in  demand,  while  the  squab  industry  has  made  rapid  strides 
in  America  in  the  past  few  years  and  grown  to  a  volume 
beyond  the  comprehension  of  its  most  enthusiastic  supporters. 
Even  during  war  times  when  the  price  of  grain  was  high  the 
squab  industry  continued  to  grow.  It  is  in  fact  only  in  its 
infancy  and  in  a  few  years  people  will  wonder  why  squabs 
were  not  eaten  in  larger  numbei^s  before.  Pound  for  pound, 
there  are  few  meats,  if  any,  that  are  more  palatable,  nutritious 
and  helpfulto  the  human  system  than  squab  meat 

The  leading  physicians  of  the  country  are  prescribing  and 
recommending  squab  meat.  It  is  strengthening  and  easy  to 
digest.  The  old  birds  eat  nothing  but  grain,  the  meat  is  rich 
with  carbohydrates  and  protein.  The  rapid  growth  of  a 
squab  from  an  egg  to  a  pound  of  meat  in  four  weeks  makes 
its  meat  tender  and  void  of  the  tough  indigestible  cells  found 
in  other  meats.  The  taste  for  squabs  is  not  a  developed  one, 
once  eaten  always  liked. 

PIGEON  HABITS  AND  CHARACTERISTICS 

There  are  over  200  different  varieties  of  pigeons,  ranging  in 
size  from  one-half  to  two  pounds  each. 

There  are  four  general  classes  of  pigeons:  Placing,  fancy, 
utility  and  common. 

Pigeons  mate  or  pair  off  one  female  to  each  male. 

Pigeons  mate  when  about  five  to  eight  months  old  and  stay 
mated  for  life  unless  separated. 

Any  male  pigeon  will  mate  with  any  female  pigeon  if  shut  up 
together  or  put  by  themselves. 

Pigeons  lay  two  eggs  and  th.^.n  go  to  setting;  the  sccor.d  egg 
being  laid  the  second  day  after  the  first  is  laid. 


22 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


It  takes  seventeen  days'  incubation  for  pigeon's  e'^gs  to  liatch. 

Pigeons  build  their  own  nesis,  like  birds,  canying  the  straws 
to  the  nest  one  by  one,  and  placing  them  in  order  with  their 
bills. 

The  male  pigeon  carries  the  nesting  material  to  the  female 
and  she  sets  on  the  nest  and  arranges  the  straws  in  place. 

The  male,  as  well  as  the  female  pigeon,  sets  on  the  eggs.  The 
male  relieves  the  female  on  the  nest  from  about  10  to  4  each 
day,  and  the  female  sets  on  the  eggs  the  balance  of  the  time. 


PAIR  OF  SQUAB  BREEDING  HOMERS 


Pigeons  continue  to  set  on  t]ie  nest  for  several  days  after  the 
young  hatch  out,  to  keep  them  from  chilling.  This  is  necessary- 
even  in  warm  weather. 

Most  pigeons  lay  and  raise  young  the  year  around,  laymg 
again  each  time  when  their  young  are  about  two  and  one-half 
weeks  old. 

Pigeons  feed  their  young  by  first  eating  grain  and  drinking 
water,  then  they  fly  to  the  nest  and  by  a  pumping  or  belching 
motion  the  feed  is  transferred  to  the  crop  of  the  young. 

Until  a  squab  is  several  days  old,  it  is  too  young  to  swallow 
regular  food,  so  the  old  birds  feed  them  pigeon  milk,  a  peculiar 
mixture  that  accumulates  in  the  crops  of  the  old  birds  after 
they  have  set  on  eggs  16  days. 


"VVTIY   RAISE   SQUABS' 


23 


Pigeon  milk  develops  in  the  crop  of  the  male  bird  as  well  as 
the  female,  although  he  serves  less  hours  on  the  nest. 

Squabs  (young  pigeons)  do  not  leave  the  nest  until  they  can 
fly,  which  is  from  four  to  five  weeks  after  hatching,  when  they 
are  fully  feathered  and  about  as  large  as  their  parents. 

Squabs  cannot  eat,  and  do  not  learn  to  feed  themselves  until 
after  they  leave  the  nest. 

Pigeons  do  not  roost  on  perches  or  anything  round.  Their 
feet  are  flat  and  they  prefer  a  flat  surface  to  sit  or  stand  on. 


CATJNEAUX  AT  NIGHT 


SfSMT  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


iS' 


Pigeons  do  not  eat  meat,  they  live  on  grain  principally,  but 
eat  a  little  grass,  Swiss  chard,  clover  or  lettuce  leaves  in  the 
spring  and  summer. 

Pigeons  do  not  drink  like  a  chicken,  but  more  like  a  horse. 
They  require  a  great  deal  of  clean,  fresh  water. 

Pigeons  do  not  scratch  in  the  dirt  like  chickens,  but  depend 
on  what  they  can  find  to  eat  on  top  of  the  ground  in  plain  sight. 

Pigeons  do  not  dust  themselves  as  chickens  do,  but  take  a 
water  bath  instead,  like  canary  birds. 

Pigeons  shed  their  baby  feathers  when  about  three  months  old, 
then,  like  all  other  fowls,  molt  in  the  fall  of  each  year,  when 
they  get  an  entire  new  coat  of  feathers. 

Pigeons  live  to  be  12  or  15  years  old  or  older,  but  are  not  active 
producers  of  squabs  after  8  or  10  years  of  age.  In  fact,  they 
slow  up  after  6  years  of  age. 


CHAPTER  II 
GETTING  STARTED  RIGHT 

THE  WAY  TO  START 

Whether  one  starts  in  the  squab  business  on  a  large  or  small 
scale  depends  upon  the  capital  he  has  to  invest,  the  conveniences 
at  hand  and  the  time  he  can  devote  to  it. 

There  are  two  ways  to  start  in  the  pigeon  business.  With  a 
few  pairs  in  a  back  yard  or  an  immediate  start  with  several 
hundred  pairs,  with  substantial  houses  and  ground  room  to  run 
a  good  sized  plant.  If  you  go  into  the  business  with  a  few  pairs, 
you  should,  as  near  as  practical,  follow  the  same  methods,  adopt 
the  same  equipment,  and  pay  as  much  attention  proportionately 
as  you  would  if  you  had  a  large  plant  with  several  thousand 
birds.  In  this  way  you  will  establish  yourself  so  that  when  your 
plant  grows  you  will  know  just  how  to  expand  and  successfully 
operate  it. 

In  outlining,  therefore,  the  way  to  start  and  the  essential 
things  to  do,  I  will  vary  only  where  it  will  be  necessary  to 
explain  the  difference  between  the  buildings  and  ground  re- 
quirements for  a  large  plant  and  a  small  one.  If  you  are  going 
to  start  with  a  few  pairs  you  should  first  prepare  a  suitable 
place  for  your  birds.  Carefully  survey  the  premises  to  determine 
the  most  practical  place  available,  always  remembering  that 
there  is  a  right  and  a  wrong  as  well  as  a  best  way  to  do  every- 
thing, and  that  this  applies  to  the  squab  business  whether  con- 
ducted on  a  large  or  a  small  scale. 

A  section  of  almost  any  building  will  do  for  a  nest  room. 
A  chicken  house,  bam  loft,  a  garage  or  an  attic  will  do  to  start 
with.  A  south  or  east  exposure  is  the  best.  The  place  should 
be  thoroughly  cleaned,  made  rat  and  cat  proof.  A  floor  space 
4x6  feet  is  about  as  small  as  can  be  used  with  any  degree  of 
satisfaction,  and  if  convenient  a  larger  space  should  be  provided. 

25 


26  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

An  8x10  room,  however,  is  about  as  large  as  can  be  used  to 
advantage,  as  a  larger  room  than  that  will  tend  toward  making 
the  birds  wdld,  and  especially  so  if  the  ceiling  is  high  enough 
to  permit  the  birds  to  fly  over  your  head.  The  space  allotted 
off  for  the  birds  should  be  enclosed  in  solid  walls,  unless  by 
so  doing  it  will  make  it  too  hot  or  dark.  A  wire  partition  in 
part  or  in  whole  will  do,  but  the  better  plan  is  to  put  a  small 
window  in  for  light  and  air.  If  a  wire  partition  is  used,  1-inch 
mesh  chicken  wire  will  keep  rats  out,  where  a  2-inch  mesh  will 
not.  You  may  figure  that  any  old  box  will  do  for  nests,  but  you 
might  just  as  well  start  right  and  the  way  to  do  that  is  to  put 
in  a  few  double  nests  and  do  everything  else  properly. 

More  people  fail  in  the  squab  business  because  they  give  it  too 
little  thought  and  attention  than  from  all  other  causes  combined. 
You  should  have  a  double  nest  for  each  pair  to  start  with  and 
a  few  extra  nests  will  do  no  harm.  Next  you  should  make  a 
feed  and  grit  box  and  a  nesting  material  rack.  (See  article  on 
these  subjects  in  this  book.)  Drinking  water  and  a  place  to 
bathe  should  also  be  provided.     (See  article  on  same.) 

This  will  complete  the  inside  of  the  house,  after  which  you 
should  construct  a  fly  pen.  A  small  wire  enclosure  a  few  feet 
square  with  wire  overhead  as  well  as  on  the  sides  will  do  for 
the  birds  to  air  and  sun  themselves.  The  fly  pen  need  not  be 
built  on  the  ground;  if  not,  the  bottom  of  the  pen  should  be 
covered  with  sand  or  fine  gravel.  (See  article  "Care  of  Fly 
Pen.")  If  this  is  not  practicable,  a  good  sized,  low,  flat  box  should 
be  provided  and  kept  full  of  fresh  gravel.  This  box  can  be  kept 
in  the  nest  room  or  fly  pen.  One  or  more  running  boards  should 
be  put  up  so  the  birds  will  have  a  place  to  light  and  sit  while 
in  fly  pen.  The  proper  construction  of  fly  pens  is  explained 
elsewhere  herein. 

In  the  meantime  you  should  begin  to  look  around  for  some 
birds.  The  kind  to  buy  depends  somewhat  on  the  amount  of 
money  you  have  for  that  purpose,  but  you  should  bear  in  mind 
that  if  you  start  with  inferior  birds  you  will  raise  that  kind,  and 
the  little  extra  paid  for  good  birds  over  poor  ones  will  come 
back  many  times  over  in  both  number  of  birds  and  quality.  For 
full  information  read  article  on  squab  producing  breeds.  About 
the  surest  way  is  to  pay  a  fair  price  to  some  reliable  breeder. 
It  does  not  make  much  difference  if  the  birds  you  get  are  pot 


GETTING  STARTED   RIGHT  .  27 

mated,  just  so  they  are  old  enough  to  mate  and  you  get  an  equal 
number  of  males  and  females,  as  they  will  mate  up  and  go  to 
work  promptly  if  you  have  favorable  conditions.  If  you  wish 
to  start  on  a  large  scale,  you  should  first  find  a  suitable  place 
for  a  squab  plant. 

If  you  conclude  to  enter  the  squab  business  on  a  large  scale 
from  the  start,  I  would  suggest  that  you  proceed  about  as  fol- 
lows: First  decide  on  a  location.  Of  course  the  distance  from  the 
market  has  something  to  do  with  the  profits  of  the  business, 
but  as  freight  rates  on  feed  is  as  high  as  express  rates  on  squabs, 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  consumed  and  sold,  it  is  about  as 
well  to  be  near  the  supply  of  feed  as  the  squab  market.  As  a 
rule,  the  best  section  to  enter  the  business  is  where  you  happen 
to  be  located. 

For  each  40  pairs  of  squab  breeders  it  requires  a  ground  space 
8  feet  wide  and  26  feet  long,  208  square  feet,  or  about  2V2  square 
feet  to  the  bird.  This  allows  for  the  Eggleston  regulation  squab 
house,  making  each  nest  room  8x10  feet  square,  and  a  4x8  feet 
aisle  in  front,  and  an  8x12  feet  fly  pen.  A  3-foot  aisle  and  an 
8x10  foot  fly  pen  will  do,  if  you  are  short  of  ground  space. 

Each  10-unit  plant  will  require  a  ground  space  26x80,  which 
will  house  and  care  for  400  pairs  of  birds.  To  this  should  be 
added  enough  space  for  a  feed  and  killing  house. 

With  a  small  plant  one  can  store  feed  in  the  aisle  or  pas- 
sageway, or  can  even  provide  a  small  bin  in  the  aisle  for  feed 
purposes,  but  with  a  large  plant  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  feed 
room,  and  also  a  killing  room,  either  separate  or  together.  These 
rooms  can  be  built  in  connection  with  the  squab  house,  or  a 
separate  building  can  be  constructed  for  that  purpose. 

I  think  the  best  plan  is  to  build  the  feed  room  in  connection 
with  the  squab  house,  so  that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  go  out 
doors  in  order  to  carry  feed  to  the  birds.  A  good  plan  is  to 
leave  one  or  two  units  vacant  in  the  center  of  a  squab  house  for 
this  purpose,  with  a  door  entering  from  the  rear,  and  doors 
leading  into  the  aisle  or  passageway  to  the  birds  on  either  side. 

Regular  grain  bins  should  be  built  around  the  walls  of  the 
feed  room,  and  they  should  be  mice  and  rat  proof.  A  large 
convenient  bin  should  be  arranged  for  mixing  the  grain.  The 
mixing  place  should  be  large  enough  to  permit  the  use  of  a  hoe 
or  a  scoop  shovel  for  stirring  or  mixing  purposes. 


^8  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

For  the  general  plan  and  how  to  construct  squab  houses  and 
arrange  a  squab  plant  complete,  see  article  in  this  book  on  The 
Construction  of  Squab  Houses  and  Fly  Pens,  Nest  Boxes,  Mating 
Coops,  Feed  Boxes,  Grit  Boxes,  Tobacco  Stem  Crates,  Bathing 
Troughs  and  Water  System,  which  articles  are  accompanied  by 
illustrative  drawings  that  can  be  followed  by  a  carpenter. 

In  the  meantime,  you  should  arrange  for  the  purchase  of  your 
breeding  stock.  There  are  a  number  of  reliable  breeders 
throughout  the  country  that  can  lurnish  good  j)irds  at  a  fair 


A  FANCY  FLY  PEN  WITH  SQUAB  HOUSE  IN  CORNER  OF  BARN 
The  above  picture  shows  a  fly  pen  built  on  to  a  barn  in  the  fashionable 
section  of  a  small  town.  The  lattice  work  makes  it  unnecessary  to 
have  wire  for  that  portion  of  the  section.  Any  ordinary  fly  pen  can 
be  constructed  along  the  same  lines.  If  painted  and  trimmed  neatly 
they  look  very  ornamental. 


price.  I  would  advise  against  starting  in  with  anything  but 
first  class  breeders,  regardless  of  the  number  of  birds  that  you 
would  start  with.  I  would  also  advise  that  you  determine  on 
the  best  breed  in  advance  and  stick  to  that  breed,  and  not  be 
trying  out  several  different  kinds,  until  you  are  sure  that  some 
other  breed  is  better  than  the  one  that  you  have,  which  would 
be  time  enough  to  change. 


a^TTlNG  STARTED  RIGHT  ^ 

it  will  not  be  necessary  for  you  to  buy  enough  pairs  to  fill 
your  plant,  for  you  can  allow  young  birds  to  accumulate 
until  you  have  a  full  supply  of  breeders.  You  will  not  save 
as  much,  however,  on  this  method  as  you  might  anticipate,  for 
the  reason  that  if  you  start  to  selling  squabs  immediately  you 
can  make  enough  money  from  the  sale  of  squabs  in  six  months' 
time  to  buy  additional  breeding  stock,  and  the  birds  that  you 
raise  will  not  go  to  work  much  before  eight  or  tan  months 
depending  upon  the  time  of  the  year  they  are  hatched.  So  from 
a  financial  standpoint,  it  is  practically  just  as  well,  or  it  might 
be  better  to  buy  all  your  breeders  outright,  and  not  depend  upon 
raising  breeding  stock,  as  this  is  a  branch  of  the  business  that 
requires  special  knowledge  to  handle  successfully. 

All  birds  that  you  might  raise  would  not  be  good  breeders. 
You  would  undoubtedly  have  more  males  than  females,  and  the 
expense  of  feeding  the  youngsters  from  the  tiaie  they  left  the 
nest  until  they  mate  and  go;  to  work,  added  to  the  extra  expense 
of  care,  and  the  loss  due  to  an  excess  of  males,  will  be  about  as 
much  as  new  stock  would  cost,  taking  in  consideration  what 
you  could  have  received  for  the  birds  had  you  sold  them  as 
squabs. 

Some  of  the  largest  squab  breeders  in  the  country  buy  enough 
brerding  stock  arunially  to  replace  the  birds  that  have  outlived 
llicir  usefulness,  rather  than  to  go  to  the  trouble  and  expense 
of  I'iyiiig  their OsMi  breeding  stock.  Such  men  fjgure  that  they 
are  in  the  scjuab  business  solely  and  make  the  most  out  of  that 
l)i'anch  of  the  industry. 

RAISING   SQUABS   FOR   HOME    CONSUMPTION 

More  and  more  each  yea^r^^a^  people  become  more  familiar 
with  raising  squabs  and  the  value  of  squab  meat  becomes  better 
known,  small  squab  plants  are  being  established  by  many  who 
do  not  enter  the  business  from  the  money  making  standpoint, 
but  merely  for  supplying  squabs  for  their  own  use. 

There  are  many  people  who  are  situated  so  they  can  not  raise 
chickens  and  so  have  never  given  thought  to  the  idea  that  they 
might  have  a  few  pigeons,  as  they  require  no  yard  or  range  as 
chickens  do.  They  are  not  offensive  or  objectionable,  and  a  few 
pairs  can  be  kept  by  almost  anyone  living  in  a  city,  even  in  a  flat 
where  the  ground  space  and  back  yard  is  limited. 


30  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

A  squab  dinner  is  considered  a  luxury,  yet  it  can  be  had  once 
or  twice  a  week  at  a  small  weekly .  expense,  and  the  work  of 
caring  for  them  be  made  so  interesting  that  it  is  a  recreation 
and  a  pleasure. 

The  average  standard  bred  squab  will  make  a  meal  for  a 
grown  person.  A  pair  of  standard  squab  producers  will  produce 
two  squabs  every  six  weeks.  Six  pairs,  therefore,  will  average 
two  squabs  every  week.  By  the  size  of  your  family  and  how 
frequent h'  you  desire  them,  you  can  determine  the  number  of 
pairs  it  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  keep  in  order  to  supply 
your  demand. 

Those  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  live  in  small  towns  or  in 
the  country,  where  they  have  ample  room  for  such  things,  can 
easily  keep  a  few  producing  pigeons,  raise  enough  squabs  for 
their  own  use  and  supply  a  few^  neighbors,  if  they  so  desire,  and 
use  the  proceeds  to  pay  their  feed  bills  and  take  care  of  other 
expenses. 

Lawyers,  merchants,  bankers,  clerks,  doctors  and,  in  fact, 
anyone  whose  time  is  occupied  indoors,  can  secure  a  lot  of 
recreation  in  caring  for  a  few  pigeons  at  home  and  at  the  same 
time  make  it  profitable  and  secure  a  food  product  that  caimot 
well  be  secured  otherwise. 

An  elaborate  or  expensive  place  is  not  necessary  for  a  small 
plant.  The  corner  of  a  barn  or  portion  of  a  chicken  house,  or 
oven  a  space  in  a  garage,  can  be  utilized  for  this  purpose.  If 
a  person  desires,  he  can  build  a  fancy  and  artistic  place  for 
pigeons  in  the  side  yard. 

RAISING  PIGEONS  WITH  CHICKENS 

Pigeons  can  be  raised  in  conjuction  with  chickens  with  little 
or  no  disadvantage  to  either,  provided  nests  and  other  necessary 
arrangements  are  properly  taken  care  of. 

Chickens  are  so  much  larger  and  stronger  and  faster  eaters 
that  the  two  cannot  be  fed  together,  for  if  they  do  the  pigeons 
will  not  get  all  that  is  coming  to  them  in  the  way  of  feed. 
Therefore,  if  they  are  kept  in  the  same  enclosure,  the  feed  for  the* 
pigeons  will  have  to  be  provided  in  a  place  that  the  chickens 
cannot  get  to.  This  can  be  arranged  by  either  having  the  feed 
on  a  platform  up  out  of  the  range  of  the  chickens  or  in  a  small 


GETTING  STARTED  RIGHT 


'61 


ORNAMENTAL   SQUAB  HOUSE  AND  FLY  PEN 
A  fly  pen  for  a  side  yard  pig-eon  house  can  be  extended  clear  around 
the  house  if  desired  but  if  so  constructed  there  should  be  a  division 
partition  in  the  center  of  the  back  to  prevent  birds  from  flying  around 
if  one  should  desire  to  catch  them. 


wire  or  slat  enclosure  with  the  entrance  large  enough  only  to 
admit  pigeons. 

The  best  plan  is  to  have  the  nesting  rooms  separate  and  the 
fly  pens  and  run-way  together.  Then  have  the  entrance  to  the 
pigeons'  nest  room  so  small  or  high  up  that  the  chickens  cannot 


32 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


get  to  it.  Chickens  can  with  this  arrangement  be  fed  so  that 
they  can  scratch  for  their  feed  and  pigeons  can  be  fed  in  their 
nest  room,  which  is  the  best  place  to  feed  on  account  of  keeping 
the  feed  where  it  will  not  be  exposed  to  the  weather,  and  where 
young  birds  will  have  access  to  it. 

The  nesting  for  pigeons  kept  in  connection  with  chickens 
should  be  so  arranged  that  the  hens  cannot  get  into  the  pigeons' 
nests,  for  if  they  do  they  will  trample  and  break  the  eggs  and 
do  other  damage. 


GROUND  FLOOR  PLAN  FOR  ORNAMENTAL  SQUAB  HOUSE 


GET  STARTED  RIGHT 


33 


An  old  hen  with  little  chickens  is  especially  apt  to  fight  a 
pigeon  if  she  is  not  used  to  them  being  around.  The  old  hen 
seemingly  taks  the  pigeon  to  be  a  hawk  and  will  pounce  on 
it  with  murder  in  her»heart,  often  catching  and  killing  or  crip- 
pling the  pigeon  without  its  even  having  an  opportunity  to  fly 
out  of  the  way. 


INTERIOR    VIEW    OF    OCTAGON    SHAPED    SQUAB    HOUSE 
Note  aisle  in  front  feed  boxes  and  double  nest  construction  the  same 
in    this   smaU   house   as   in   the   regulation   Eggleston   plan. 


RAISING  PIGEONS  FOR  PLEASURE 

Aside  from  the  money  to  be  made  from  ])recding  squabs,  the 
employment  it  will  furnish  and  the  outdoor  recreation,  there 
is  so  much  about  pigeons  and  their  habits,  men  and  women, 
also  boys  and  girls,  can  become  so  intensely  interested  in  pigeons 
and  the  work  of  breeding  them  that  it  will  become  a  pleasure. 
This  is  especially  true  when  there  is  a  fixed  purpose  to  accomplish 
along  the  line  of  breeding;  the  Carneaux,  for  instance,  will  re- 


34  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

quire  some  study  according  to  the  adopted  standard,  and  it  can 
only  be  made  more  perfect  by  careful  mating  and  selection, 
together  with  the  skill  which  comes  from  a  scientific  study  of 
the  birds. 

i'ou  will  note  by  experience  that  certain  colors  and  types,  in- 
cluding shape  of  head,  neck,  eyes,  etc.,  together  with  a  certain 
carriage,  is  necessary.  Carneaux  collectively  have  all  these 
qualities,  and  to  got  the  largest  number  of  them  in  one  bird  is 
a  very  interesting  work  and  furnishes  a  certain  amount  of  pleas- 
ure and  satisfaction. 

ORNAMENTAL  SQUAB   HOUSE  FOR  SIDE   OR 
FRONT  YARD 

An  ornnuK  ntal  squab  house  can  be  constructed  and  placed  in 
a  side  yard  or  front  yard  in  a  way  that  will  be  very  attractive 
and  ornamental  to  the  premises. 

Theic  are  several  ways  that  such  houses  can  be  built,  but 
about  the  most  practical  and  easiest  to  construct  is  as  follows: 
Made  in  octagon  shape,  hve  or  six  feet  across,  six  feet  high  to 
the  eaves,  with  a  pointed  roof  and  wide  bungalow  eaves,  sur- 
rounded with  a  wide  octagon  shape  fly  pen,  a  part  of  which 
can  be  made  of  lattice  work. 

The  fly  pen  should  be  12  or  14  feet  across,  which  will  leave 
a  space  of  three  or  four  feet  around  the  building.  The  fly  pen 
can  almost  entirely  encircle  the  building  or  run  on  tliree  sides 
only. 

The  door  of  the  building  can  have  a  sash  in  it  which  will 
furnish  sufficient  light  or  it  is  a  good  idea  to  have  two  or  three 
small  windows  of  ornamental  design. 

The  inside  of  the  house  can  be  equipped  with  four  sections  of 
double  nests  and  will  accommodate  anywhere  from  12  to  30 
pairs  of  birds. 

Such  a  house  can  be  painted  and  trimmed  to  correspond  with 
the  other  buildings  on  the  premises.  Dark  bungalow  green  with 
a  red  roof  and  trimpaed  with  white  makes  an  attractive  color 
combination.    ' 


CHAPTER   111 
CARNEAUX 

ORIGIN  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  CARNEAU 

Nol)ody  seems  to  know  the  origin  of  the  Carneau.  By  some 
it  is  claimed  to  he  a  made  or  created  hreed,  others  maintain 
that  it  is  a  sei)arate  and  distinct  hrecd  tliat  has  l)een  in  existence 
for  centuries.  ITntil  the  hist  fifteen  oi-  twenty  years,  however, 
Ihe  Carneau  was  little  known  in  America.  The  first  hirds  of 
this  lireed  came  from  Belgium  and  France,  and  some  claim  that 
there  are  two  branches  of  the  breed,  namely:  the  Belgian  Car- 
neau and  the  French  Carneau,  but  I  am  strongly  of  the  opinion 
that  a  Carneau  is  a  Carneau,  whether  it  comes  from  France  or 
Belgium,  at  least  birds  coming  from  both  of  these  countries 
appear  to  be  just  about  the  same.  Neither  of  them,  however, 
are  developed  to  the  present  American  standard,  which  has  been 
greatly  improved  in  the  last  decade,  both  from  tlie  standpoint 
of  beauty  in  color  and  type,  and  its  squab  producing  ability. 
The  American  Carneau  is  more  uniform  in  size  and  color,  and 
is  a  better  squab  producer.  I  attribute  this  to  the  fact  that  we 
have  specialized  on  these  qualities  here  in  America,  and  by  the 
process  of  selection  and  elimination  have  gradually  built  our 
bii'ds  to  a  higher  standard. 

The  Carneau  in  America  is  popular,  because  it  possesses  rare 
quality  in  the  production  of  extra  large,  fat,  plump,  well  fla- 
vored, white  meated  squabs.  Coupled  with  this  is  its  rare  beauty 
and  color,  shape  and  size,  its  domestic  and  general  disposition. 
The  Carneau  will  do  well  in  any  climate,  from  frigid  Alaska 
to  the  torrid  Panama.  It  will  adapt  itself  to  almost  any  condi- 
tion, and  immediately  start  on  its  perpetuous  work  of  squab 
raising,  which  seems  to  be  its  only  aim  in  life.  The  natural 
color  of  a  Carneau  is  rich  dark  red  with  white  feathers  irregu- 
larly scattered  over  its  body,  or  a  rich  buff  or  golden  yellow 
with  the  same  assortment  of  irregular  white  feathers,  rare  ex- 
ceptions, all  red  or  all  yellow.    The  desire  of  some  breeders  to 

35 


36 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


eliminate  the  white  feathers  in  a  Carneau  and  produce  the  solid 
colors  has  resulted  in  developing  off  colored  birds;  therefore, 
we  frequently  find  Carneaux  with  more  or  less  slate  or  bluish 
colored  feathers  on  them,  this  off  color  generally  appearing 
on  the  bird's  rump  or  under  its  tail.  Sometimes,  however,  the 
entire  feathers  will  show  more  or  less  of  a  muddy  or  bluish 
cast.  There  is  little  or  no  advantage  to  be  derived  from  the  color 
scheme  of  the  Carnoau.  Its  main  points  of  quality  being  its  size, 
which  should  not  be  too  large  or  too  small,  its  type  and  squab 
producing  qualities. 


SPLASHED    CARNEAUX 


Those  that  desire  to  breed  Carneaux  for  utility  and  squab 
producing  purposes,  strive  to  maintain  the  original  colors  of  red 
and  white  or  yellow  and  white,  and  leave  the  production  of 
the  all  red  or  all  yellow  to  those  who  desire  to  raise  the  Qir- 
neau  for  fancy  rather  than  breeding  purposes.  Carneaux  pro- 
perly handled  become  very  gentle  and  tame;  they  will  seldom 
fly  off  the  nest  when  the  nest  room  is  entered  and,  as  a  rule, 
you  can  put  your  hand  under  the  bird  without  causing  them 
to  leave  the  nest.  They  are  good  close,  attentive  setters,  splendid 
mothers,  and  will  care  for  and  feed  extra  squabs  that  are 
put  in  their  nests  along  with  their  young. 


CARNEAUX  37 

By  a  little  management  and  care  the  nest  can  be  changed 
about  from  one  part  of  the  room  to  another  without  causing 
them  to  leave  it,  if  such  a  thing  is  desired.  They  can  be  sepa- 
rated from  their  mates  and  re-mated  with  other  birds  quickly, 
and  will  immediately  go  to  work.  They  will  mate  and  go  to 
work  at  an  early  age  and  will  produce  squabs  the  year  round, 
including  the  molting  season,  if  they  receive  the  proper  care 
and  food  at  that  time. 

THE  PROPER  WEIGHT  FOR  CARNEAUX 

It  is  natural  that  people  should  want  the  largest  specimens 
when  selecting  stock  from  which  to  raise  squabs  for  the  market. 
Therefore,  we  cannot  criticize  them  for  having  natural  ideas 
oven  though  they  might  be  wrong  which  is  the  case  as  applied 
to  Carneaux.  The  largest  Carneaux  are  not  the  fastest  breeders, 
and  do  not  produce  the  largest  squabs.  There  is  a  limit  to  the 
size  of  a  pigeon  and  overgrown  or  undersized  pigeons,  like  every- 
thing else,  are  not  fast  breeders  and  will  not  reproduce  them- 
selves in  size.  This  is  especially  true  with  Carneaux.  The  well 
shaped,  full  breasted,  blocky,  medium-sized  Carneau  is  by  far 
the  best  squab  producer. 

Tiie  larger  and  over  sized  Carneau  breeders  will  have  a  ten- 
deu'-y  to  produce  large  "all  bone  and  feather"  squabs  and  few 
in  number. 

Mr.  Jas.  P.  Kinnard  covered  the  question  of  the  proper  weight 
of  Carneaux  when  he  wrote: 

"While  Carneaux  are  larger  than  Homers,  they  are  not  an 
extra  large  breed.  A  pair  of  typical  Carneaux  will,  however, 
raise  more  pounds  of  squabs  in  a  given  time  than  any  other 
breed. 

The  French  standard  of  perfection,  adopted  in  1891,  shows  the 
ideal  Carneau  in  France  at  that  time  to  vary  in  weight  from 
500  to  525  grammes  (16  1-4  to  16  5-6  ounces)  for  cocks,  and  425  to 
450  grammes  (142-5  to  15  ounces)  for  hens.  By  a  careful  system 
of  selection,  mating  and  breeding  these  weights  have  been  con- 
siderably increased  in  America  since  that  time,  and  the  type 
consequently  enlarged. 

The  weights  preferred  by  the  standard  of  perfection  adopted 
by  the  International  Carneau  Club  of  America  are  as  follows: 


38  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

Old  cocks  24  ounces;  young  cocks  23  ounces;  old  hens  23  ounces; 
young  hens  22  ounces..  However,  nearly  all  the  leading  Ameri- 
can breeders  agree  that  the  medium  sized  Carneaux  are  the 
best,  most  typical  and  prolific  of  the  breed. 

The  Carneau  is  a  bird  of  medium  weight,  and  those  of  medium 
weight  are  more  prolific  than  those  of  extra  large  size.  Many 
breeders  are,  however,  spoiling  their  Carneaux  trying  to  get 
big  birds.  Some  have  them  crossed  with  Rinits  and  Mondaines, 
because  of  the  seeming  present  demand  for  extra  large  birds, 
which  is  often  the  result  of  ignorance  as  to  what  size  Carneau 
it  takes  to  produce  twelve-pound  squabs.  This  is  all  wrong,  for 
it  is  useless  to  produce  a  giant  pigeon  to  the  detriment  of  its 


RED  AND  WHITE   SPLASHED   CARNEAUX 

breeding  qualities.  This  demand  for  extra  large  pigeons  grew 
out  of  the  misunderstanding  of  the  constant  urging  of  the  pro- 
duction of  larger  squabs,  for  until  recent  years  the  squab  market 
was  being  supplied  with  six,  and  eight-pound  squabs. 

A  pair  of  Carneaux  that  weigh  thirty-two  to  forty  ounces  will 
produce  squabs  averaging  twelve  pounds  to  the  dozen,  while 
those  weighing  forty-two  to  forty-six  ounces  to  the  pair  will 
produce  squabs  averaging  fourteen  pounds  to  the  dozen,  and 
even  those  weighing  thirty-two  to  thirty-eight  ounces  to  the  pair 
will  produce  squabs  averaging  ten  pounds  to  the  dozen;  the 
weight  of  the  squabs,  however,  depending  on  the  feeding  quality 
of  the  parents,  as  well  as  their  size  and  the  quality  and  variety 
of  the  feed. 


CARNEAUX  39 

It  is  generally  conceded  by  the  leading  Cameau  breeders  of 
America  that  the  eighteen  to  twenty-two  ounce  Carneau  is  the 
best,  most  typical  and  most  productive  of  the  breed. 

CARNEAUX  WITH  SLATE  COLORED  FEATHERS 

The  common  objection  to  slate  or  blue  feathers  on  the  Car- 
neau is  no  doubt  due  to  the  fact  that  most  Carneau  crosses  have 
such  feathers  and  while  the  presence  of  slate  or  blue  feathers 
on  a  bird  does  not  prove  that  it  is  not  a  full-blooded  Carneau, 
this  test  acts  as  a  safeguard  to  the  inexperienced.  The  natural 
color  of  a  Carneau  is  i-cd  and  white.  Rare  specimens  are  red, 
and  sometimes  yellow.  Sometimes  they  have  slate  or  blue  on 
their  breasts,  rumps  or  on  their  tails.  This  slate  is  generally 
due,  however,  to  the  effort  to  Ineed  extia  dark,  solid  red  Car- 
neaux.  \\  hen  there  is  no  pigment  in  the  feather  coloring  the 
feathers  are  white,  and  with  too  nuich  pigment  they  are  darker 
than  red  aud  take  on  a  bluish  cast,  commonly  called  slate. 

Another  objection  to  slate  feathers  is  the  tendency  toward 
darker  meated  squa])s.  The  presence  of  considerable  slate  in  the 
feathers  always  means  dark  meated  scpud:)S. 

If  one  would  discard  all  Carneaux  with  slate  feathers  and 
retain  those  \\ithout  slate  feathers  they  would  l)e  reasonably 
sure  of  having  the  pure  br^^d  stock,  but  this  is  really  not  the 
best  \Qi-:i.  A  Carneau  has  other  marks  of  distinction  besides  its 
color  which  are  just  as  much  or  more  important.  Tliere  are 
pigeons  of  the  Carneau  shade  of  red  to  be  found  among  lots 
of  other  varieties,  and  if  the  color  test  only  applied  one  might 
have  red  birds  with  no  Carneau  blood  in  them  and  think  they 
were  Carneaux. 

For  those  who  are  not  familiar  with  the  Carneau,  I  will  fur- 
nish a  few  of  the  most  important  and  pronounced  characteristics 
of  the  bird.  The  average  hen  will  weigh  from  18  to  22  ounces, 
and  the  cock  from  19  to  23  ounces.  If  fat  they  will  run  a  little 
more  and  if  poor  a  little  less  than  that.  Both  sexes  are  of 
blocky  type— the  cock  having  a  little  longer  body  and  the  hen 
a  little  deeper  keel  and  fuller  breast  with  a  smaller  throat  and 
head.  The  beak  is  light  in  color,  of  medium  size  with  a  medium 
V-shaped  wattle;  the  eye  rather  large  and  bright  set  in  the 
middle  of  the  head;  the  top  of  the  head  round  and  high  in  front, 


40 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


coming  almost  straight  down  to  the  beak,  foraiing  an  obtuse 
angle  between  the  forehead  and  the  beak  or  bill.  There  are 
other  marks  of  special  note  but  these  mentioned  are  the  most 
prominent. 

YELLOW  CARNEAUX 

As  previously  stated,  the  natural  color  of  a  Carneau  pigeon 
is  red  with  white  spots  irregularly  scattered  over  the  body,  with 
now  and  then  a  solid  red  bird  and  rare  exceptions  a  yellow  and 


YELLOW    CARNEAU 


white  or  solid  yellow.  There  is  but  very  little  difference  in 
reality  in  the  color  of  a  red  Carneau  and  a  yellow  Canieau. 
(This  is  true  of  all  breeds  of  pigeons.)  The  yellow  is  apparently 
just  a  little  bit  more  negative  in  coloring  matter,  which  by  the 
way  is  more  frequent  with  females  than  with  males;  that  is  to 
say,  with  all  red  breeds  of  pigeons  now  and  then  there  is  apt 
to  appear  a  yellow  female  and  so  far  as  that  goes,  this  same 
color  characteristic  appears  in  birds  of  any  solid  color,  as  the 
female  will  on  exceptional  occasions  show  lighter  in  color  than 
males  of  the  same  variety.  Dun  females,  for  instance,  will 
sometimes  appear  among  black  feathered  birds. 


CARNEAUX  41 

It  is  argued  by  some  that  it  was  necessary  to  cross  with  the 
yellow  females  of  this  breed,  yellow  males  of  some  other  breed, 
such  as  the  yellow  Homer,  and  then  mate  the  offspring,  which 
will  be  a  yellow  bird  and  one-half  Cameau,  with  a  female  yel- 
low Cameau,  then  remating  the  yellow  male  offspring  from 
this  combination  again  with  a  full  blood  yellow  female  and  so 
on  until  the  Homer  blood  was  eliminated. 

If  this  was  true,  where  does  the  yellow  male  Homer  come 
from,  as  the  same  rule  applies  to  yellow  Homers  as  applies  to 
Carneaux,  viz:  that  the  yellow  birds  were  originally  females? 
See  article  on  "How  to  Breed  Yellow,  Dun  and  Silver  Colored 
Pigeons."  The  yellow  Cameau  exists  now  as  a  special  variety 
of  which  there  are  both  male  and  female  and  reproduce  their 
kind  without  throwing  any  red  or  red  and  white  youngsters. 
They  will,  however,  produce  yellow  youngsters  with  white 
splashes  the  same  as  red  Carneaux  will  produce  youngsters  with 
white  splashes.  The  yellow  or  yellow  and  white  Cameau  is 
equal  to  the  red  and  red  and  white  variety  in  every  particular, 
with  possibly  a  little  in  its  favor  in  the  way  of  production  of 
whiter  meated  squabs  and  a  little  in  the  favor  of  the  looks  of 
the  squab,  as  a  yellow  feathered  squab  will  dress  up  a  little 
nicer  and  cleaner  looking  on  account  of  its  pin  feathers  being 
lighter  in  color.  The  pin  feathers  on  a  red  squab  are  much 
darker  than  those  on  a  yellow  feathered  squab. 

The  yellow  Cameau  as  a  rule  is  freer  from  dark  beaks  and 
slate  or  bluish  feathers,  which  characteristics  tend  towards 
darker  meat.  The  squabs  produced  by  yellow  and  white  Car- 
neaux are  just  as  large  and  just  as  many  in  number  as  compared 
to  those  of  the  red  variety. 

WHITE   CARNEAUX 

It  may  be  possible  to  secure  a  white  Cameau  by  merely  se- 
lecting and  breeding  Carneaux  with  the  greatest  number  of 
white  feathers.  I  believe  the  term  White  Cameau,  however, 
could  be  justly  applied  to  a  white  bird  that  came  within  the 
standard  for  White  Carneaux  in  size,  color  and  other  markings, 
even  if  it  had  a  small  percentage  other  than  Carneau  blood  in 
its  veins. 

I  can  substantiate  the  consistency  of  this  statement  by  pointing 
to  breeds  of  chickens  and  animals.    For  instance,  with  chickens 


42  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

there  are  white  Plymouth  Rocks,  white  Orpingtons,  white  Wyan- 
dottes  and  even  white  Rhode  Island  Reds  that  are  made  breeds 
and  have  been  created  by  crossing  in  chickens  with  white 
plumage  with  the  standard  bred  in  order  to  obtain  the  desired 
feather   color. 

A  white  Plymouth  Rock  chicken  was  first  made  by  using  the 
barred  Plymouth  Rock  as  a  basis,  then  the  size,  shape,  color 
of  legs,  feet,  etc.,  was  retained,  but  the  feather  color  was  bred 
to  white  by  crossing  in  white  chickens  of  some  other  breed  and 
then  breeding  everything  out  except  the  feather  color.  Buff 
Rocks,  Black  Orpingtons  and  many  other  varieties  of  chickens 
have  been  established  in  this  way;  then,  why  is  it  not  possible 
to  cross  a  white-feathered  pigeon  with  a  Canieau,  retaining  only 
the  white  plumage  qualities  of  its  ancestors?  If  this  can  be 
done  to  such  an  extent  that  all  the  qualities  of  a  Carneau  are 
retained,  including  type,  size,  weight,  color  of  eyes,  beak  and 
its  breeding  qualities,  so  that  competent  judges  of  Carneaux 
cannot  detect  any  difference  in  the  bird  except  its  feather  color, 
then  ^^•hy  is  this  not  a  true  white  Cameau  and  why  should  it 
not  be  accepted  as  such? 

Such  an  undertaking  and  accomplishment  is  far  more  dif- 
ficult than  might  at  first  be  estimated,  and  as  it  would  require 
scientific  effort,  patience  and  time  to  bring  about  the  desired 
results,  why  not  reward  a  person  who  is  successful  in  his  un- 
dertaking by  praise  rather  than  condemning  him? 

Here  are  some  of  the  difficulties  one  will  encounter  if  he 
starts  to  create  White  Carneaux  by  crossing,  which  in  my 
opinion  is  the  only  way  that  they  can  be  bred;  the  first  offspring 
from  a  white  bird  and  a  Carneau  will  more  than  likely  have 
dark  feathers,  dark  beak  and  dark  skin.  The  feathers  will  either 
be  reddish  or  bluish  in  cast  or  both,  and  the  youngsters  will 
apparently  be  failher  away  from  the  white  color  than  its  Car- 
neau mother  or  father. 

This  offspring,  however,  must  be  crossed  back  to  a  Carneau 
in  order  to  keep  it  from  getting  too  far  away  from  the  Carneau 
type  and  blood.  Then  the  offspring  from  the  cross  must  be 
again  mated  to  a  white  bird  with  a  possible  chance  of  some  of 
their  young  being  white.  Right  here,  however,  is  where  the 
breeder  will  strike  his  first  obstacle,  as  the  white  youngsters 
from  such  a  combination  will  have  black  or  blue  eyes  and,  as 


CARNEAUX 


43 


the  White  Cameau  stardard  specifically  states  that  the  eyes 
must  be  orange,  this  is  a  b^ambling  block  which  few  breeders 
will  ever  get  beyond.  It  can  be  accomplished,  however,  by  again 
and  again  breeding  back  to  the  Carneau  and  again  and  again 
breeding  the  offspring  to  white  birds  until  the  white  bird  is 
produced  with  an  orange  eye,  then  by  crossing  such  birds  back 


WHITE    CARNEAU 
One  of  the  essential  features  of  a  white  Carneau  is  yellow  or  orang-e 
eyes  which   is  the  most  difficult   part   of  the  breeding  as  most   white 
birds  have   dark  eyes. 


44  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

to  full  blooded  Carneaux  and  their  offspring  with  other  white 
birds  with  orange  eyes  which  have  been  produced  in  the  same 
way.  In  time  they  will  produce  orange  eyed  white  birds  that 
will  reproduce  their  kind  and  can  be  perpetuated  as  a  breed. 

There  are  other  points,  however,  and  difficulties  that  must  be 
considered  and  worked  out  along  with  the  color  scheme  and 
the  orange  eyes.  One  is  the  light  beak  which  is  provided  for 
by  the  White  Carneau  standard.  It  is  hard  to  produce  the 
white  bird  with  orange  eyes  and  a  light  beak,  especially  so 
when  the  first  cross  between  a  white  bird  and.  a  Carneau  will 
invariably  throw  youngsters  with  dark  beaks  and  the  first 
orange  eyed  bird  produced  will  invariably  have  a  dark  beak. 
Difficulty  also  arises  in  maintaining  the  Carneau  size  and  type. 
\\^hite  Homers  can  be  crossed  in,  but  they  are  undersized  and  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  eliminate  the  strong  Homer  type  in 
future  generations.  A  White  Runt  is  oversized  and  it  is  hard  to 
eliminate  the  Runt-like  appearance  from  future  offspring.  A 
white  Maltese  hen  pigeon  furnishes  a  good  type,  except  the 
neck  is  too  long,  and  it  is  hard  to  eliminate  the  uplifted  tail. 
Therefore,  when  one  asks  what  kind  of  a  white  bird  can  be 
used,  the  answer  is  that  the  white  bird  must  be  manufactured 
for  this  purpose  by  crossing  and  recrossing  white  Homers,  white 
Runts  and  white  Maltese,  until  a  bird  is  produced  that  has  al- 
most the  correct  Carneau  size  and  type. 

For  the  benefit  of  anyone  who  might  undertake  this  project, 
I  will  add  that  only  a  small  percentage  of  white  Homer  blood 
should  be  used.  Just  enough  to  make  a  bird  thrifty  and  active 
and  to  keep  down  the  size  slightly.  A  cross  between  a  white 
Runt  and  a  white  Maltese  will  be  a  little  oversized,  but  a  well 
divided  composition  of  a  Maltese  and  a  Runt  is  almost  the  de- 
sired type  for  a  Carneau,  except  as  just  stated,  the  possibility 
of  it  being  a  little  oversized;  so  a  small  amount  of  Homer  blood 
is  necessary  to  reduce  the  size. 

The  next  difficulty  is  the  breeding  qualities,  as  the  Carneau 
is  a  fast  breeder,  and  it  would  not  be  consistent  to  create  a 
white  Carneau  in  size,  shape  and  other  qualities  without  main- 
taining its  breeding  and  squab-producing  proclivities.  This  can 
be  done  if  the  white  offspring  is  created  in  such  a  way  that  at 
least  seven-eighths  of  its  blood  is  Carneau.  If  anyone  thinks 
that  it  is  a  cinch  and  an  easy  matter  to  breed  and  create  a 


CARNEAUX  45 

White  Carneau  by  crossing,  let  him  be  convinced  of  his  error 
by  trying  it  out  for  himself.  There  has  always  been  a  great 
demand  for  birds  with  white  feathers,  as  they  seem  to  attract 
the  eye.  The  White  Carneau  when  perfected,  like  white  chick- 
ens, will  be  a  very  popular  breed.  There  are  a  few  White  Car- 
neaux  in  existence,  but  as  yet  this  variety  is  in  the  experimental 
stage.  It,  however,  is  a  good  cause  and  a  worthy  undertaking 
from  a  commercial  standpoint,  besides  the  work  being  most 
interesting  and  instructive  to  one  who  likes  pigeons  and  enjoys 
accomplishing  hard  tasks. 

The  first  test  of  a  White  Carneau  is  the  color  of  the  eye.  An 
orange  colored  eye  is  necessary.  Without  this  the  type,  size 
and  feather  color  mean  nothing.  Even  though  a  white  bird  has 
an  orange  colored  eye  it  must  have  the  other  qualities  to  qualify 
as  a  White  Carneau  and  must  be  bred  so  that  it  will  reproduce 
itself  in  color,  type,  and  other  necessary  qualities  when  mated 
to  a  White  Canieau. 

The  fact  that  the  White  Carneau  must  have  orange  eyes  makes 
them  much  more  difficult  to  breed. 

Mr.  A.  Besche  in  the  American  Pigeon  Journal  says:  "White 
Cameaux  are  fast  gaining  in  poularity  and  we  hear  consider 
ably  more  of  them  now,  especially  so  in  the  past  twelve  or  fifteen 
months.  To  those  who  are  breeding  whites  I  should  say,  "stick 
it  out"  for  I  see  nothing  but  a  prosperous  future,  "greater  de- 
mands," and  hence  better  prices.  Those  who  are  not  breeding 
them  should  try  a  few  pairs  and  help  bring  this  beautiful  color 
even  more  to  the  front." 

BLACK   CARNEAUX 

Black  Cameaux  have  not  yet  been  produced  to  any  great 
extent.  They  can  be  produced  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
black  Orpington  chicken  is  produced  and  along  the  same 
method  as  is  described  in  the  article  on  White  Cameaux.  It 
is  almost  impossible  to  produce  Black  Cameaux  by  selection, 
even  though  you  might  continue  to  select  and  mate  together  the 
darkest  colored  birds  for  an  indefinite  period.  The  result  would 
be  a  dark  blue  or  slate  colored  bird  instead  of  a  black  one,  as 
the  dark  pigment  in  a  Carneau  is  not  black  but  blue,  and  it  is 
this  bluish  tint  with  the  red  that  gives  the  red  such  a  rich 
maroon  cast. 


46  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

A  bird  with  all  the  Carnoau  characteristics  and  one  that  will 
coijply  in  type,  size,  head,  color  of  beak,  eyes,  and  in  every 
other  detail  to  the  standard,  can  be  produced  with  black,  dun, 
white  or  bluish  feathers  by  the  process  of  crossing  in  a  black 
pigeon  of  some  other  breed  or  any  other  color  desired,  and  then 
breeding  out  the  foreign  blood  by  crossing  and  recrossing  the 
offspring  back  to  full  blooded  Carneaux,  saving  only  youngsters 
of  ihr-  desircil  color  or  those  that  had  a  tendency  to  the  desired 
colo)'. 

To  e:;tal)lish  a  black  breed  of  Carneaux  therefore,  by  this 
nietlicd,  we  must  cross  Carneaux  with  black  pigeons  of  some 
other  breed.  Homers,  Runts  or  Maltese  will  do,  but  preferably 
a  cross  between  these  three  breeds  as  is  described  in  the  article 
on  Wliite  Carneaux. 

Black  Homers,  Mondaincs,  Runts  and  Maltese  do  not 
have  liglit  beaks,  ard  there  are  very  few  breeds  of  black  pigeons 
that  have  ligiit  btaks.  There  are  black  Tumblers  with  light 
beaks,  but  the>  have  pearl  eyes,  and  a  Black  Carneau  nuist 
have  a  Carneau  eye  and  not  a  Tumbler  eye;  hence  the  Tumblei's 
or  any  pc  ail  excd  p!LMH)n  cannot  1)(^  used  in  the  production  of  a 
Mack  Carneau  wil'iout  cncounlering  the  necessity  of  breeding 
out  pearl  eyes,  which  woidd  be  an  added  obstacle. 

The  offspring  of  a  black  pigeon  and  a  Carneau  will  occasional- 
ly be  dun  or  brown  with  light  beaks,  but  offspring  of  the  same 
combination  are  m'>>5e  apt  to  be  a  dirty  red  with  a  smutty  or 
bluish  breast  and  rump,  and  some  of  the  squabs  by  the  same 
mr.ting  are  ai)t  io  be  mottled  in  various  colors,  with  occasionally 
a  blue  barred  offspring;  none  of  which  can  be  used  in  the  mak- 
ing of  a  black  (.niutau  except  the  duns  or  browns  w^ith  light 
beaks,  and  if  these  sViow  bars  on  their  wings  they  cannot  be 
us(m1. 

By  recrossing  the  duns  and  browns  with  light  beaks  with 
other  birds  of  the  same  color  and  produced  in  the  same  w^ay, 
now  and  then  a  black  one  will  appear  with  a  light  beak.  If 
it  is  then  crossed  back  with  a  full  blooded  Carneau  they  will 
produce  an  occasional  black  youngster  v^ith  a  light  beak,  and 
after  this  point  is  reached  successfully  by  several  different 
routes,  >o  as  to  keep  fairly  free  from  in-breeding,  such  birds 
can  l)e  mated  to  others  produced  in  the  same  way  and  remated 
until  they  will  perpetuate  themselveg  in  color.    li  must  be  kept 


Carneaux  47 

in  mind  that  in  the  effort  to  secure  color,  the  type  and  qualities 
of  the  Carneau  must  not  be  sacrificed  or  lost  track  oi,  otherwise 
the  result  would  not  he  a  hlack  Carneau. 

Black  Carneaux  must  have  light  colored  beaks,  orange  eyes 
and  Carneau  type  in  all  other  particulars.  They  must  be  bred 
so  as  to  reproduce  themselves  in  all  qualities  including  light 
colored  meat  and  beaks. 

Mr.  A.  Besche  writing,  on  the  subject  of  Black  Carneaux  for 
Ihe  American  Pigeon  Journal,  says: 

"ITp  until  the  present  time  we  have  heard  but  little  of  the 
black  Carneau,  but  few  have  made  their  appearance  in  the  show 
room,  and  are  no  doubt  bred  by  comparatively  a  small  number 
of  fanciers.  What  is  needed  to  bring  this  additional  color  to  the 
front,  and  to  prompt  more  fanciers  to  breed  them  is  to  have  the 
several  clubs  take  them  up  and  include  blacks  in  the  Carneau 
Standai'd.  We  could  procure  classifications  in  the  premium 
lists  oi  Ihe  various  shows  which  are  held  yearly  in  the  different 
parts  of  the  country.  You  will  then  see  this  color  forging  ahead 
lapidly.  No  one  can  deny  that  a  good  jet  black,  with  rich  beetle 
green  lustre  about  its  neck,  and  deep  solid  color  body,  wing  and 
tail  feathers,  and  bred  according  to  a  revised  standard,  could 
not  help  but  make  a  handsome  bird.  Yes,  I  may  add,  that  if 
my  judgment  does  not  mislead  me,  these  will  in  time  compare 
with  the  other  colors." 

UTILITY  RATHER  THAN  FANCY 

By  E.  H.  EGGLESTON 
From   Hearst's   Sunday  American 

The  public,  as  well  as  the  majority  of  Carneau  breeders,  have 
held  Carneaux  with  white  feathers  at  too  small  a  value,  some- 
times to  such  an  extent  that  these  birds  are  considered  crosses, 
or  a  poor  class  of  culls,  and  has  hurt  the  commercial  end  of  the 
industry.  As  you  know,  the  Carneau  is  a  utility  bird,  and  it 
could  never  be  anything  else  any  more  than  a  Plymouth  Rock 
chicken  would  be  classed  as  a  fancy  breeder.  Of  course,  the 
Carneau  is  a  beautiful  bird,  and  this  is  especially  true  of  solid 
reds  and  yellows,  and  it  is  all  right  to  produce  all  red  or  all 
yellow  Carneaux  and  to  compete  for  prizes  in  these  classes, 
but  it  is  not  all  right  to  allow  a  few  fanciers  to  make  a  hobby 


48  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

of  an  industry  to  the  detriment  of  those  who  are  following  it  in 
a  commercial  way.  The  men  that  raise  fancy  Carneaux,  proba- 
bly combined,  do  not  own  two  thousand  birds;  yet  they  dictate 
the  policy  of  the  future  of  this  breed  over  thousands  throughout 
the  United  States  who  probably  own  half  a  million  birds.  It 
is  a  case  of  the  tail  wagging  the  dog,  and  the  strangest  part  of  it 
all  is  that  these  fancy  breeders,  are  chiefly  responsible  for  the 
present  conditions,  are  not  satisfied  with  the  status  of  affairs, 
and  complain  about  their  customers  demanding  show  birds  for 
squab  producing  purposes. 

Almost  every  day  I  receive  letters  from  people  \\'ho  want 
Carneaux  for  squab  breeding  purposes,  and  yet  they  describe 
and  expect  what  is  now  classed  as  show  birds.  They  must  not 
have  any  white  or  blue  feathers.  I  am  not  alone  in  this  position, 
as  almost  everyone  that  sells  a  few  Carneaux  is  up  against  the 
same  proposition.  Now  what  is  responsible  for  this  condition? 
Nothing  more  than  the  fact  that  the  prevailing  color  of  Car- 
neaux is  red  and  white  or  yellow  and  white,  and  that  birds 
of  this  color  have  been  legislated  against  by  the  fancier's  stand- 
ard until  the  public  in  general  has  been  educated  to  the  belief 
that  the  Carneau  that  has  white  feathers  on  its  body  is  no  good. 

Now,  I  have  a  plan  that  I  believe  will  remedy  conditions,  and 
be  a  big  boost  for  the  Carneaux,  both  as  a  utility  and  a  show 
bird.  The  success  of  all  shows  depends  upon  their  financial 
success.  Most  pigeon  shows  today  are  run  at  a  loss,  because 
the  general  public  is  not  sufficiently  interested  to  make  the  gate 
receipts  large  enough  to  offset  the  expense  of  holding  the  show. 
Even  when  pigeon  shows  are  held  in  connection  with  poultry 
shows,  the  pigeon  end  of  it  is  not  much  of  a  success  from  a 
financial  standpoint.  Poultry  breeders  do  not  meet  with  this 
difficulty,  for  the  reason  that  the  fancy  end  of  the  business  has 
not  run  away  with  the  utility  end,  and  in  all  poultry  shows 
there  are  more  birds  entered  in  the  utility  classes  than  in  the 
fancy  classes.  The  people  who  enter  Plymouth  Rocks  receive 
a  double  benefit.  They  gain  a  certain  amount  of  publicity,  and 
learn  what  constitutes  first-class  birds  in  their  variety.  In  ad- 
dition thereto  they  enjoy  the  sport  of  competing  equally  as  well 
as  the  fancy. 

Now,  my  plan,  in  short,  is  to  bring  about  a  similar  condition 
with  pigeons,  and  I  am  interested  in  the  Carneau,  and  as  I 


CARNfiAUX  49 

believe  the  Carneau  the  greatest  utility  bird  known,  naturally 
believe  that  the  place  to  start  is  with  the  Carneau.  I  believe 
that  if  our  standard  was  changed  so  that  the  average  utility 
Carneau  breeder  would  have  a  chance  of  winning  prizes,  and 
so  they  could  show  birds  with  the  object  of  receiving  some 
benefit  by  publicity,  as  well  as  for  honor,  that  almost  immediate- 
ly we  would  see  a  large  number  of  entries  in  each  show  in  this 
class,  and  in  a  short  time  there  would  be  a  lot  of  interest  created 
among  the  utility  breeders.  And  with  the  aid  of  the  many 
Carneau  breeders  throughout  the  country,  we  would  be  able 
to  increase  our  membership  naturally,  and  bring  about  many 
things  favorable  to  the  Carneau  cause. 

Now,  here  is  the  standard  that  I  would  favor:  I  would  start 
out  with  this  statement  that  the  prevailing  color  of  Carneau 
pigeons  was  red  and  white  and  yellow  and  white,  that  the  red 
should  be  a  dark,  rich,  bronze  color,  etc.,  and  the  yellow  a  dark 
golden  shade;  that  these  birds  had  white  feathers  over  their 
body  in  irregular  designs,  and  follow  this  by  describing  the 
ideal  type,  weight,  size,  head,  beak,  eye,  etc.,  with  instructions 
to  the  judges  that  birds  should  be  judged  and  graded  by  com- 
parison with  other  birds  in  the  same  class,  and  points  of  excel- 
lence should  be  reckoned  by  the  following  schedule:  Color  to 
count  10  points,  weight  8  points,  and  so  on  down  the  line,  using 
the  same  schedule  as  our  present  standard  gives,  except  I 
would  change  the  proper  weight  to  19  to  23  ounces  for  cocks 
and  from  18  to  22  ounces  for  hens.  Birds  over  or  under  this 
weight  would  not  be  disqualified,  but  count  so  many  points  for 
each  ounce  under  or  over.  I  would  next  give  the  same  schedule 
for  yellow  and  white  Cameaux,  except  changing  the  color  from 
red  to  yellow,  then  a  class  for  all  red  Carneaux  and  for  all 
yellow  Carneaux.  Birds  in  these  classes  would  not  be  eligible 
to  compete  in  the  red  and  white,  or  yellow  and  white  classes. 
Following  this  the  same  standard  for  all  white  Carneaux,  then 
there  would  be  a  standard  for  utility  Carneaux  shown  in  pairs. 
Any  Carneau  color  eligible  to  compete  with  this  class,  preference 
to  be  given  to  the  birds  freest  from  slate  and  bluish  feathers. 
In  this  class  I  would  advise  that  the  points  of  color  be  reduced 
and  the  points  for  weight  and  breast  be  increased. 

I  would  not  favor  an  A.  O.  C.  class,  and  would  cut  out  the 
rose  wings,  as  such  birds  cannot  be  reproduced  and  are  only 


50  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

chance  types  of  that  color.  Naturally  tliere  would  be  quite  a 
howl  to  go  up  on  the  adoption  of  such  a  standard,  and  we  might 
lose  some  members  among  the  fancy,  but  by  getting  busy  with 
the  utility  Carneau  breeders  throughout  the  country,  I  am  sure 
we  could  gain  ten  members,  yes,  a  hundred,  for  every  one  we 
lost,  and  such  members  would  have  some  money  interest  in  the 
business,  and  be  of  more  value  to  a  successful  organization  than 
{I  fancier.  However,  I  do  not  feel  that  it  is  necessary  to  lose  the 
fancy  breeders,  for  with  the  red  and  yellow  standard  they 
should  go  ahead  competing  the  same  as  they  have  been.  In 
a  short  time,  however,  we  would  to  a  great  extent  change  the 
present  prevailing  opinion  that  the  Carneau  should  be  red  and 
not  red  and  white. 

1  am  well  satisfied  with  the  results  that  I  have  accomplished 
this  year  in  the  sale  of  Canieaux,  as  I  started  in  the  spring  with 
over  4,000  marketable  birds,  and  sold  all  I  cared  to  spare  at  good 
prices  before  molting  time,  and  I  believe  that  next  year  will 
he  even  better,  for  I  have  had  an  increase  in  the  sale  of  birds 
each  year  over  the  previous  year,  but  that  does  not  alter  the 
case.  I  am  not  speaking  from  a  selfish  standpoint,  but  from  a 
standpoint  of  what  I  believe  will  be  greatly  beneficial  to  the 
Qirneau  cause. 

SOLID  COLORED  CARNEAUX 

Solid  colors  are  not  important  in  Carneaux  for  squab  breeding 
purposes. 

"Any  color,  just  so  it  is  red"  is  an  old-time  saying  tliat  applies 
to  some  i)eople's  opinion  of  Carneaux.  A  pigeon  of  any  size, 
type,  shape,  weight  or  peculiar  markings  seems  to  be  acceptable 
to  a  lot  of  jjeople,  just  so  it  is  red  or  reddish. 

The  question  is  often  asked:  "Should  squab  breeders  demand 
solid  color  Carneaux?"  My  answer  is,  NO!  A  friend  of  mine 
who  raises  Carneaux  once  stated  that  there  were  three  kinds 
of  Carneaux  breeders,  two  of  whicli  were  color  blind  and  the 
other  sensible. 

He  went  on  to  say  that  one  class  would  have  nothing  but  red 
Carneaux  with  no  white  feathers,  and  as  little  slate  or  blue 
feathers  as  jjossible,  regardless  almost  of  size  ^nd  other  qualities, 
with  the  lesult  that  their  lofts  were  usually  full  of  undersized, 


CARNEAUX  51 

ill-shaped,  &Iow  breeding  birds.     This  class,  as  he  put  it,  was 
"blind  to  everything  but  color." 

Another  class  was  actually  color-blind  and  could  not  dis- 
tinguish slate,  gray  or  even  blue  feathers  from  red  ones  and 
called  everything  Carneau  that  was  reddish;  as  a  result  they 
had  a  lot  of  Carneau-Homer  and  other  Carneau  crosses  with 
redtlisli  backs  and  slate  rumps,  tails  or  breast.  Such  crosses 
do  not  look  like  Carneaux  in  size,  type  and  markings,  1  ut  their 
red  feathers  lead  many  people  to  believe  that  they  are  Carneaux. 

Now,  do  not  understand  that  pure  bred  Carneaux  do  not  often 
have  slate  or  blue  feathers  along  with  the  red,  but  if  they  do  they 
\vill  look  like  Carneaux  in  type  and  general  appearance. 

As  all  Carneau  crosses  have  more  or  less  slate  or  blue  feathers, 
it  is  a  good  protection  to  inexperienced  breeders  to  steer  clear 
of  birds  with  such  feathers  and  thus  avoid  getting  hold  of 
hybrids. 

The  natural  color  of  a  Canieau  is  red,  with  white  feathers 
scattered  over  the  body,  rare  exceptions  yellow.  When  the  white 
leather  is  bred  out,  more  or  less  blue  or  slate  feathers  appear 
and  often  the  red  takes  on  a  smoky  or  dusty  appearance.  This 
is  due  to  the  pigment  in  the  feather  coloring.  With  no  pigment 
^)ie  feathers  are  white,  with  too  much  they  are  dark  blue,  and 
eo  it  is  hard  to  get  just  the  exact  amount  of  coloring  to  make 
all  of  the  feathers  dark  red  with  no  white,  blue  or  slate. 

If  one  knows  the  true  Carneau  type  it  is  easy  to  tell  half  or 
quarter  breed  crosses,  as  the  general  characteristics  will  crop 
out  in  one  way  or  another  in  a  hybrid,  and  this  is  generally  true 
even  of  birds  with  only  one-eighth  or  one-sixteenth  other  than 
Carneau  blood  in  them. 

As  an  example,  a  Carneau-Homer  cross  will  invariably  have 
i\  flat  head  with  eyes  near  the  top  of  the  head,  long  bill  and 
generally  undersized,  with  more  or  less  slate.  A  Carneau-Runt 
cross  will  show  a  long  body,  short  legs,  long  tail  and  a  tendency 
to  droop  the  wings,  with  usually  a  short  thick  neck  and  more 
or  less  slate.  Even  when  Carneaux  are  crossed  with  white  birds 
of  other  breeds  the  young  will  show  dark  blue  or  slate  feathers. 

A  Maltese  and  Carneau  cross  is  as  a  rule  just  the  opposite  to 
the  Runt  cross,  as  the  body  is  short,  legs  and  neck  long,  and  the 
short  tail  has  a  tendency  to  elevate  like  the  Maltese.  There  will 
be  some  slate  feathers,  but  not  as  much  as  in  the  Carneau-Homer, 


52  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

Cameau-Runt  or  Cameau-Mondaine  crosses.  All  such  hybrids 
are  short  many  of  the  good  qualities  that  go  to  make  the  Car- 
iieau  such  a  splendid  all-around  squab  breeder. 

There  are  many  peculiar  markings  about  the  Cameau  that  are 
not  common  with  other  breeds.  The  type  is  distinct  and  about 
as  follows:  Medium  length  body,  legs  and  neck,  a  good  all-around 
compromise  between  the  Runt  and  Maltese;  medium  sized, 
smooth,  even  bill;  no  feathers  on  legs  below  knee;  large  round 
eyes,  orange  or  red  in  color,  set  in  the  middle  of  the  head; 
forehead  high  and  prominent;  broad  back,  deep  keel  and  good 
carriage. 

It  would  be  just  as  nonsensical  for  a  person  breeding  Homers 
to  discard  every  bird  except  the  pure  white  ones,  or  some  other 
solid  color,  as  for  one  breeding  Carneaux  for  squab  purposes  to 
discard  everything  but  solid  red  birds.  We  all  know  that  the 
Homer  breeder  would  be  sacrificing  a  lot  of  his  best  breeders 
of  good  squabs  for  feather  color,  and  just  so  with  the  Carneau 
squab  breeder  if  he  discarded  all  except  solid  red  Cameaux. 


CHAPTER  IV 
OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS 

To  give  a  full  history  and  description  of  each  variety  of  pigeons 
best  adapted  for  squab  breeding  would  consume  considerable 
time  and  space.  I  will,  therefore,  confine  my  remarks  to  a  brief 
description  of  the  most  popular  breeds  of  today,  which  are 
Carneaux,  Homers,  Runts,  Hungarians,  Maltese,  Mondaines, 
Polish  Lynx  and  White  Kings.  Most  any  of  these  birds  like  the 
popular  breeds  of  chickens  are  all  right  and  each  have  their 
place  in  squab  breeding. 

HOMERS 

The  Homer  is  a  bird  a  little  larger  than  a  common  pigeon, 
but,  owing  to  their  build  and  feeding  qualities,  they  produce 
squabs  almost  twice  as  large  as  a  common  squab,  and  a  much 
fatter  and  better  flavored  squab.  Homers  come  in  all  colors, 
black,  white,  blue,  red,  dun,  silver  and  commingling  colors,  with 
blue  barred  and  blue  checkered  as  the  predominating  color. 

By  reason  of  the  prolific  qualities  of  the  Homer  and  its  pro- 
duction of  a  plump,  fat,  meaty  squab,  it  stands  second  to  none 
as  a  utility  pigeon,  and  if  it  were  not  for  the  fact  that  its  squabs 
are  small  compared  with  other  popular  breeds  hence  bring  less 
on  the  market,  the  Homer  would  stand  foremost  in  the  country 
as  a  squab  producing  variety.  The  utility  or  squab  breeding 
Homer  is  the  same  breed  as  the  Racing  Homer,  except  one 
branch  of  the  breed  has  been  developed  for  its  homing  and  fast 
flying  tendencies,  while  the  other  has  been  developed  for  the 
production  of  squabs.  The  homing  instinct  is  an  objectionable 
quality  in  a  squab  producing  or  utility  pigeon,  for  the  reason 
that  if  liberated  they  will  fly  away,  unless  the  bird  was  raised 
at  the  place  liberated.  They  are  not  able  to  find  their  way  back 
home,  as  is  generally  presumed,  unless  they  have  been  trained 

53 


54 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


lor  that  purpose,  by  first  taking  them  a  short  distance  from  their 
place  of  birth  and  liberating  them,  then  a  greater  distance  and 
greater  distance  nntil  they  will  be  able  to  return  home  from  a 
distance  of  several  hundred  miles.  Homer  squabs  are  desired 
where  squabs  are  served  in  cafes,  clubs,  hotels,  etc.,  as  a  part 
of  a  regular  meal,  but  the  person  who  orders  a  squab  as  a 
principal  part  of  his  meal  prefers  a  larger  bird,  and  the  same 
is  true  with  private  trade.  As  there  is  also  a  ready  market  for 
large  squabs,  and  as  squabs  range  in  price  according  to  the 
number  of  pounds  they  weigh  per  dozen,  the  natural  desire  of 
squab  breeders  is  to  produce  a  large  bird.    The  effort  has  con- 


BLUE    BARRED    HOMERS 


sequently  been  to  try  to  develop  a  breed  that  would  produce  as 
many  squabs  as  the  Homer,  and  at  the  same  time  a  larger  and 
more  valuable  squab. 

Homers  are  very  thrifty,  hearty  good  feeders,  and  make 
splendid  mothers.  On  account  of  this  quality  they  are  often  kept 
and  used  as  fester  parents  for  the  purpose  of  hatching  and  rais- 
ing the  young  of  other  breeds.  The  Homer  seems  to  have  a 
wild-like  instinct,  and  is  quick  to  fly  off  its  nest  and  slow  to 
return  to  it,  hence  the  successful  breeder  of  Homers  must  bear 
this  peculiarity  in  mind  and  manage  his  pens  of  Homers  in  a 
way  not  to  disturb  them,  and  in  a  way  to  make  them  as  tame 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS  55 

as  possible.  The  Eggleston  plan  of  double  nests  and  squab 
house  with  the  aisle  in  front  is  especially  adapted  for  this  pur- 
pose. The  chief  objection  to  this  breed,  is  its  smallness  in  size. 
But  in  almost  all  markets  throughout  the  country  there  is  a 
ready  demand  for  fat,  well  developed,  plump,  small  sized  squabs, 
which  the  Homer  squab  will  supply  better  than  any  other  breed. 
Therefore,  the  Homer  as  a  squab  producer  has  its  place  among 
squab   producing   pigeons,   and   is   a   profitable   breed   to   raise. 

GIANT  RUNTS 

Some  jester  in  ancient  times  must  have  given  this  largest 
of  all  pigeons  its  name  which  has  until  recently  been  just  plain 
Runt,  but  to  overcome  the  likely  impression  that  a  Runt  pigeon 
was  a  small  breed,  the  Ameiican  breoders  have  a':^dcil  a  prefix 
and  now  the  breed  is  known  as  the  GIANT  RUNT. 

The  Runt  is  an  ancient  breed.  .John  Moore  in  his  "Treatise 
on  Pigeons"  edited  in  London,  1735,  calls  the  Runt  an  ancient 
breed.  He  mentions  the  Leghorn  Runt  as  an  exceedingly  large, 
broad-breasted  bird  with  tail  slightly  erect  and  wings  somewhat 
drooping.  He  describes  the  Spanish  Runt  as  standing  up  more 
boldly  with  wings  resting  on  the  tail.  But  the  nearest  of  all  to 
our  standard  Runt  ol  today  seen.s  to  bo  his  description  of  tho 
Roman  Runt.  He  states  that  the  Roman  Runt  stands  up  boldly, 
\ery  broad-breasted  and  weighin*^  up  to  two  and  a  half  pounds. 
Some  other  birds  were  even  heavier  than  th^t  for,  as  he  states, 
a  Runt  will  improve  in  size  f«oi'  ar.  least  four  yeais.  Th?,  Roman 
Runt  seems  to  be  the  one  the  Germans  have  as  they  call  it  the 
Roemer  Taube  or  Roman  Runt. 

Moore  states  that  even  back  in  1735  he  had  seen  gentlemen 
pay  25  pounds  ($80  to  $85  in  U.  S.  money)  for  a  pair  of  Runts 
weighing  four  and  three-fourtl'S  pounds  to  the  pair. 

Mr.  King  writes  in  the  American  Pigeon  Journal:  'The  Giant 
Runt,  being  the  largest  bird  in  the  pigeon  family,  always  at- 
tracts a  great  deal  of  attention.  Some  breeders  claim  that  the 
Runt  is  not  as  prolific  a  breeder  as  the  small  breeds.  This  may 
be  the  case  in  some  instances  if  the  stuck  is  old  and  wornout  or 
of  the  stock  originated  from  a  poor  producing  strain.  I  have 
found  that  more  often  the  fault  lies  in  the  fact  of  the  over- 
crowding of  these  birds." 


56  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

Small  individual  houses,  with  a  separate  compartment  for  each 
pair  is  the  best  way  to  obtain  good  results.  The  added  expenes 
in  building  these  separate  houses,  will  be  more  than  offset  by 
a  year's  breeding,  in  extra  returns.  The  dimensions  of  the 
individual  houses,  are  as  follows:  The  house  proper  is  seven 
feet  long,  six  feet  wide  and  six  feet  high.  They  are  built  on 
the  double-deck  order,  having  two  floors  and  each  floor  is  divided 
into  two  compartments,  making  four  in  all.  There  is  a  slanting 
roof  ovei-  half  of  the  top.  The  nest  boxes  should  be  at  the  back 
and  fifteen  inches  square.  The  approximate  cost,  including 
material  and  labor,  for  the  above  houses,  is  $12.  This  will  house 
four  pairs  of  breeders. 

The  white  Runt  is  a  faster  breeder  than  the  other  varieties, 
although  there  are  exceptions.  The  average  weight  of  Runt 
squabs  is  from  three  to  four  pounds  to  the  pair.  If  one  is  selling 
squabs  by  weight,  which  is  the  most  profitable  way,  the  added 
weight  is  a  great  advantage  over  smaller  breeds.  P^or  a  strictly 
fancy  trade.  Runt  squabs  cannot  be  surpassed.  On  account  of 
its  size  some  think  that  the  Runt  squab  would  be  coarse  and 
lacking  in  flavor,  but  this  is  not  the  case.  Runt  squabs  are  not 
only  large  and  fat  but  juicy  and  well  flavored. 

Runts  are  bred  in  most  all  colors  common  to  pigeons  and  will 
breed  true  to  color  if  one  desires  to  pay  attention  to  that  feature. 
For  squab  producing  purposes,  however,  color  cuts  but  little 
ice,  except  to  keep  away  from  smutty  tendencies  which  will 
tend  to  dark  meated  squabs.  Sam  Elton,  describing  the  various 
color  varieties  of  Runts,  says  in  the  American  Pigeon  Journal: 

From  a  fancier's  standpoint,  the  giant  Runt  is  the  most  inter- 
esting breed  to  breed  and  is  rapidly  coming  to  the  front  and 
attracting  a  great  deal  of  attention.  In  breeding  blues  and  sil- 
vers, it  is  best  to  mate  these  two  colors  together.  By  continually 
breeding  blues  together  in  time  they  will  become  too  dark  and 
smutty  or  smoky  in  color.  The  same  applies  to  the  silvers,  for 
they  will  become  too  light  in  color  with  very  indistinct  bars. 

White  Runts 

\\'hite  Runts  are  gaining  in  popularity  rapidly.    Probably  this 

is  partly  due  to  light  meated  squabs  coupled  with  the  fact  that 

people  just  naturally  take  kindly  to  white  pigeons.    The  color 

of  the  white  Runt  should  be  a  clean  uniform  white  over  the 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS"  57 

entire  body,  including  flights  and  tail.  They  should  have  dark 
on  the  ball  of  the  eyes  in  England  while  pearl  is  preferred  in 
other  parts  of  Europe.  The  beak  and  claws  are  almost  white, 
more  so  than  those  of  colored  Selfs.  Young  whites  sometimes 
have  pinkish  feathers,  but  these  generally  disappear  after  they 
molt.    The  legs  and  feet  are  free  and  clean  from  feathers. 

Blue  Runts 

The  blues  should  be  of  beautiful  light  blue  color.  The  head, 
neck,  flights  and  tail  should  be  of  a  darker  blue.  The  rump 
should  be  all  white  or  all  blue  in  England  while  on  the  Conti- 
nent of  Europe  it  should  be  white  only.  Blue  rump  is  considered 
faulty  on  the  Continent.  The  wing  bars  are  neat  and  black, 
dividing  at  their  lower  part  and  rejoining  at  the  other  end  in 
the  shape  of  a  long  narrow  "V."  Between  this  "V"  a  long  blue 
triangle  is  seen.  The  tail  feathers  terminate  with  a  black  band 
of  about  114  inches  or  more.  The  outer  side  of  the  other  feathers 
ar'e  white,  beginning  at  the  black  band  and  extending  upward 
for  about  4  inches.  The  beak  and  claws  are  a  dark  slate  color. 
Legs  and  feet  are  clean  and  free  from  feathers. 

Faults  are  rump  splashed  with  colored  feathers  and  dull  or 
smoky  blue  or  white  feathers  in  the  flights,  tail  or  body. 

The  blues  are  about  the  biggest  Runts.  Sometimes  they  have 
white  feathers  under  the  abdomen  and  on  the  cuff  or  leg.  This 
is  a  fault  that  may  be  overlooked,  provided  such  feathers  are  in 
small  numbers.  Light  blues  are  preferred  to  dark  blues.  Blues 
and  silvers  of  great  size  and  feather  lengths  are  sometimes  mated 
to  a  good  white  in  order  to  improve  the  size  and  the  length  of  the 
feathers  in  whites.  Young  blues  or  silvers  from  these  matings 
should  not  be  mated  to  a  pure  blood  blue  or  silver  or  to  any 
other  Self-colored  bird,  but  to  a  white.  Never  mate  a  delicate, 
long-feathered  bird  to  a  short,  cobby,  broad-backed,  big-chested 
bird  as  no  improvement  will  be  gained  from  such  a  mating.  In 
order  to  secure  light  blues,  they  are  mated  to  silvers,  but  here 
the  blues  gain  and  the  silvers  lose  in  color. 

Grizzle  (Pique)  Runts 

I  have  never  seen  this  variety  out  of  France.  They  have  almost 
entirely  disappeared.  There  are  two  varieties:  the  white- 
speckled  black  and  the  grey-speckled  black.     The  former  are 


58 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


most  favored.  It  is  a  very  pale  white  and  the  latter  a  very  pale 
gray  while  young,  the  hlack  markings  appearing  only  after  the 
first  molt. 

Silver  Runts 

The  silvers  arc  of  a  clean,  pale  cream  color.     The  wing  hars 
and  tail  band  are  a  dark  brown  or  black.    I  have  never  seen  a 


SILVER   RUXT 


silver  with  black  bars.  The  neck  and  breast  are  brilliant 
brown.  The  rump  and  under-wing  color  is  a  pure  white.  The 
beak  and  claws  are  pale  i)ink,  but  a  little  darker  than  those 
of  the  colored  Selfs. 

The  great  fault  is  in  dark  or  dull  color.  They  improve 
still  more  than  tlH>  whites  rftcr  second  molt.  The  grays  be- 
come darker.  Those  marked  on  their  necks  and  bodies  with 
red    feathers    have    no    value.     They    should    have    white    and 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS  59 

black  or  gray  and  black  feathers  only.  The  beak  and  claws 
should  be  clean  but  slightly  darker  than  those  of  the  whites. 
The  legs  and  feet  are  clean  and  free  from  feathers.  They  have 
pearl  eyes. 

Selfs 

All  selfs  should  be  of  a  solid  uniform  color  all  over  the  body. 
They  should  have  no  mixtures  or  other  colored  feathers  on  their 
body.  They  should  be  clean,  clear  and  without  smokiness. 
Rumps  should  also  be  clean  and  of  the  same  color  as  the  other 
part  of  the  body.  The  beak,  claws  and  feet  should  be  clean. 
All  colored  selfs  should  have  pearl  eyes. 

Yellow  Runts 

Yellows  should  be  a  solid  uniform  color  throughout.  They 
should  not  be  too  pale  nor  should  they  approach  tlie  red.  The 
beak  and  claws  are  clean  and  have  no  marks  on  them.  They 
should  be  a  pale  pink.  Legs  and  feet  are  clean.  Some  faults 
are  ashy  rump  and  dark  marks  on  the  beak  or  white  feathers 
in  flights  or  tail.  Sometimes  the  young  have  whitish  feathers 
in  the  flights  or  the  tail,  but  they  generally  disappear  after  the 
first  moult,  if  not,  then  eliminate  the  bird.  Never  mate  two 
pale  yellows.  Never  mate  yellow  to  l)lack  nor  yellows  to  birds 
with  barred  wings. 

Red  Runts 

The  reds  ishould  be  of  a  rich  chestnut  red  over  the  whole  body, 
including  flights  and  tail.  The  beak  and  claws  are  rather  of  a 
flesh  color.  Faults  are  smoky  rump,  dull  red  or  too  pale  a  red. 
The  only  way  to  secure  good  reds  is  to  breed  from  red  matings. 
I  never  had  a  good  red  from  anything  but  two  good  reds,  and 
well  selected  reds  at  that.  Good  reds  are  the  most  difficult  of  all 
Runts  to  breed.  Red  hens  run  rather  too  small.  Never  mate  a 
red  to  birds  with  barred  win^s. 

Black  Runts 

The  best  blacks  are  those  with  a  brilliant  neck  as  low  down 
as  their  breast  (a  reflecting  beetle  green).  The  beak  and  claws 
are  pale  pink  as  far  as  possible.    Nearly  all  blacks  have  beaks 


60  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

that  have  a  dark-colored  crown  or  dark  markings  toward  their 
extremity.  It  is  very  difficult  to  secure  a  perfect  black  plumage 
and  a  white  beak  as  well.  Faults  are  dull  smoky-black  color. 
Entire  black  beaks  are  to  be  discouraged.  Never  mate  black 
to  yellow.  In  order  to  conserve  a  white  beak  in  blacks,  they 
are  mated  to  a  good  red  with  a  white  beak. 

The  strength  of  the  bird  is  its  type,  perfection  of  its  carriage 
and  the  beauty  of  its  head  and  eye,  and  last  but  not  least,  its 
squab  producing  qualities. 

HUNGARIANS 

Tlie  Hungarian  is  peculiar  both  as  to  type  and  color  markings. 
They  are  a  most  beautiful  bird,  stand  erect  with  head  and  tail 
uplifted  on  the  order  of  the  Maltese  pigeon  but  not  so 
extreme.  Their  color  markings  are  regular  and  positive,  gen- 
erally black  and  white  but  can  be  bred  in  red  and  white,  blue 
and  white  and  kindred  colors.  Starting  from  the  butt  of  the 
beak,  a  strip  of  white  extends  across  the  head,  down  the  neck 
and  ends  in  the  center  of  the  back  with  a  connecting  ring  of 
white  feathers  around  the  neck  extending  to  the  under  part  of 
the  bird  which  is  all  white.  The  face,  breast  and  tail  are  black 
and  the  entire  wing  is  black  except  the  end  of  the  wings,  or 
flights,  which  are  white.  All  other  colors  are  marked  the  same 
with  the  colored  feathers  taking  the  place  of  the  black. 

The  Hungarian  is  very  hearty,  an  exceptionally  tame  bird, 
very  domestic,  an  extraordinary  good  feeder  and  a  splendid 
producer  of  extra  large  golden  meated  double  breasted  squabs 
in  goodly  numbers.  Mr.  Lewis  in  American  Pigeon  Journal 
says:  "One  of  the  most  beautiful  utility  breeds  of  pigeons  is 
the  taped  Hungarians,  with  their  contrasting  colors  of  black  and 
white.  The  first  birds  of  this  kind  that  we  had  in  this  country 
were  imported  from  Hungary  from  which  they  derived  their 
name."  The  Hungarian  pigeon  is  a  very  peaceful  bird.  I  sup- 
pose this  characteristic  was  acquired  after  they  were  imported 
from  the  land  of  trouble,  which  is  more  than  we  can  say  for  the 
originators  of  the  breed.  The  male  birds  seldom  want  to  claim 
an  "affinity"  and  one  never  finds  eggs  or  squabs  destroyed  on 
account  of  continual  fighting  going  on  in  the  lofts,  which  often 
happens  with  some  breeds  where  more  than  three  or  four  pairs 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS 


61 


are  kept  in  one  pen.  I  have  often  taken  a  squab  from  some 
other  variety  that  v^as  not  getting  properly  fed  by  the  parents 
and  put  in  a  nest  v^^ith  a  pair  of  Hungarian  squabs  and  the  old 
birds  would  raise  the  three  to  be  fat  and  plump  at  four  weeks 


BLUE  BAR  HUNGARIAN 


of  age.     In  the  show  room  these  birds  are  very  attractive  on 
account  of  their  color  markings. 

The  beauty  and  many  other  qualities  of  the  Hungarian  should 
make  it  a  popular  squab  breeder  and  a  good  show  bird. 


MALTESE 

The  Maltese  is  also  known  as  the  Maltese  Hen  Pigeon  probably 
because  it  resembles  a  chicken  about  as  much  as  it  does  a 
pigeon.  Its  habits  are  like  all  other  pigeons,  except  it  is  a  poor 
flyer,  likes  to  nest  near  the  ground  and  has  greater  strength. 
The  Maltese  is  not  quarrelsome  but  will  fight  if  given  cause 


62  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

and  can  whip  any  other  breed  of  pigeons.  The  Maltese  is  a 
splendid  feeder,  healthy,  and  takes  good  care  of  its  young.  As 
squab  producers  they  have  few  equals  as  to  the  size  of  the 
squab  and  especially  the  amount  of  meat  on  the  breast.  In  this 
respect  the  Maltese  squab  is  more  like  a  quail  only  much  larger. 

The  Maltese  is  an  old  variety.  Mr.  Pearce  writing  for  the 
American  Pigeon  Journal  stated:  "The  origin  of  the  Maltese 
like  other  varieties  appears  lo  have  no  particuhu-  starting  point. 
When  Noah  went  into  the  ark,  he  had  several  birds  known  as 
doves,  but  possibly  our  Homer  fanciers  would  claim  these  as 
the  first  of  the  Homers  for  the  fact  that  these  doves  did  manifest 
a  homing  instinct  when  one  returned  to  the  ark  with  the  olive 
branch.  Like  other  creatures,  when  going  back  to  the  time  of 
the  flood  or  earlier,  the  question  of  origin  is  as  i)uzz]ing  as  it  is 
interesting." 

In  supposing  that  all  so-called  varieties  originated  from  tliese 
original  doves,  the  question  is  naturally  asked:  "Why  the  many 
colors,  shapes  and  sizes?"  They  are  possil)ly  due  in  part  to  tlie 
influences  of  climatic  conditions,  effects  of  mineral  absorption, 
environment,  freaks  in  nature,  special  selection  and  mating  l)y 
man.  Thousands  of  reasons  might  be  produced  to  i)artially  sul)- 
stantiate  the  origin  of  all  the  numerous  varieties. 

The  Exhibition  Maltese  is  the  same  as  the  squab  producing 
bird  except  it  is  bred  smaller  and  more  attention  is  given  to  the 
length  of  the  neck  and  leij:s  and  the  upright  carriage  of  the 
bird.  Dr.  Kleeman  says:  "Maltese  breeders  and  fanciers  are 
agreed  that  the  true  Exhibition  Maltese  with  long,  well  arched 
head,  long,  thin,  curve  neck,  long  straight  legs  and  short  coupled 
body  is  one  of  the  hardest  birds  to  breed  true  to  type.  The 
average  pair  of  Maltese  will  raise  six  pair  of  squabs  a  year, 
figuring  conservatively,  and  out  of  the  six  pairs  one  can  expect 
one  pair  of  show  birds,  two  pairs  of  stock  birds  which  lay  the 
foundation  for  more  sliow  birds,  and  three  pairs  of  culls." 

Split  tails  in  Maltese  are  very  hard  to  overcome.  This  can  be 
accomplished  however  by  mating  such  a  bird  to  one  that  has  a 
short,  full,  broad  tail  while  the  bird  must  have  an  oil  sack.  Wry 
tail  is  another  defect  which  is  very  hard  to  overcome  as  it  seems 
to  be  hereditary.  I  have  mated  wry-tail  birds — that  is  a  left 
wry  with  a  right  wry — but  to  produce  the  desired  result  the  birds 
must  both  have  oil  sacks,  otherwise  the  off-spring  will  develop 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS  63 

split  tails.  Short  wing  flights  crossing  in  front  of  the  tail  can 
only  be  produced  by  mating  a  short-back  bird  to  a  long-back 
bird  and  in  this  way  one  can  correct  this  defect  and  strike  a 
happy  medium. 

C.  R.  King  writing  for  the  American  Pigeon  Journal  covers  the 
Maltese  nicely  when  he  says:  "California  has  long  been  noted 
for  its  fine  Maltese.     In  fact,  there  is  no  doubt  that  there  are 


WHITE    MALTESE 

more  and  better  Maltese  bred  and  raised  in  California  than  in 
any  other  state  in  the  Union.  The  climatic  conditions  are  such 
that  the  birds  seem  to  develop  and  thrive  from  the  start. 

From  the  utility  standpoint,  the  Maltese  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  birds.  They  are  very  strong  feeders  and  take  good 
care  of  their  young.  They  are  used  quite  extensively  on  the 
Pacific  coast  as  a  producer  of  'double  breasted'  squabs  for  mar- 
ket. These  squabs  weigh  around  twelve  pounds  to  the  dozen. 
The  Maltese  is  an  ideal  bird  for  crossing,  being  short,  blocky, 


64  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

and  very  full  breasted.  For  this  purpose  it  is  used  with  the 
Runt  more  than  any  other  breed  and  probably  one-third  of  the 
squabs  raised  on  the  Pacific  coast  are  from  this  cross.  These 
squabs  range  in  weight  from  twelve  to  eighteen  pounds  to  the 
dozen.  I  have  raised  a  few  that  weighed  twenty-two  pounds  at 
four  weeks  of  age.  This  cross,  and  in  fact  any  cross  in  which 
the  Maltese  is  used,  make  strong  and  healthy  breeders  and 
feeders. 

Quite  a  few  of  the  Homer  breeders,  especially  breeders  that 
have  white  birds,  are  crossing  them  with  the  Maltese.  This 
makes  an  ideal  cross,  being  fast  producers  of  fine-shaped  squabs 
which  weigh  from  eleven  to  thirteen  pounds  to  the  dozen.  Wo 
have  crossed  the  red  and  the  yellow  Cameau,  which  results 
in  a  fine-looking  bird,  and  produces  squabs  that  weigh  from 
twelve  to  fourteen  pounds  to  the  dozen.  This  is  about  the  only 
successful  cross  one  can  make  with  the  Carneau  on  account  of 
the  danger  of  dark-skinned  squabs,  but  by  crossing  with  the  red 
or  yellow  Maltese  one  is  sure  to  produce  white-meated  squabs. 

From  the  fancier's  standpoint,  the  Maltese  is  considered  one 
of  the  most  difficult  birds  to  breed  to  perfection.  First-class 
specimens  must  be  'well  up'  on  legs,  short  back,  long  neck, 
carry  wings  folded  in  front  of  tail  and  must  be  of  good  size  but 
not  "beefy."  Fanciers  of  this  variety  consider  themselves  lucky 
if  they  can  produce  one  or  two  top-notch  specimens  in  a  season's 
breeding,  and  it  is  usually  from  the  stock  pairs  that  the  best 
results  are  obtained.  First-class  show  birds  are  quite  scarce 
and  bring  good  prices,  ranging  from  $15  to  $50  per  pair.  First- 
class  utility  stock  ranges  from  $3  to  $6  per  pair." 

SWISS   MONDAINES 

The  Swiss  Mondaine  is  a  pigeon  larger  than  a  White  King 
and  smaller  than  a  Runt.  They  are  of  longer  le^s  and  neck 
and  are  more  graceful  looking  than  either  and  are  indeed  a 
very  beautiful  bird.  They  are  becoming  very  popular  in  Ameri- 
ca both  as  squab  breeders  and  show  birds.  Those  who  breed 
them  claim  they  are  among  the  best  as  squab  producers,  hearty, 
thrifty  and  exceedingly  domestic. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  Swiss  Mondaine  came  from  Switzerland, 
but  be  that  as  it  may,  the  breed  is  now  recognized  and  they  have 
a  recognized  standard.    There  is  a  Swiss  Mondaine  Association 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS 


65 


with    a    large    membership    and    many    Swiss    Mondaines    in 
America. 

There  are  many  large  breeders  of  Swiss  Mondaines  throughout 
the  country  among  them  are  F.  M.  Prevost  and  Wilbur  T.  Helm 
who  have  been  kind  enough  to  furnish  some  information  regard- 
ing this  breed.  A  portion  of  letters  received  from  them  is  quoted 
below: 

Mt.  Clemens,  Mich. 
Mr.  E.  H.  Eggleston: 

Tour  letter  of  recent  date  received   and  I  am  enclosing-  you   Swiss 


PART   OF  A   PEN  OF   WHITE   SWISS   MONDAINES 


66  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

Mondaine  standard.  I  consider  this  a  wonderful  squab  producing  bird. 
I  have  over  four  thousand  pairs  of  these  birds  and  am  meeting  with 
great  success  shipping  them  to  all  parts  of  the  country  for  squab 
breeding  purposes.     I  filled  one  order  for  one  thousand  pairs. 

To  start  with  I  purchased  several  pairs  at  eighteen  dollars  per  pair 
from  a  party  that  came  direct  from  Switzerland  in  1905  and  have  kept 
them  and  improved  the  strain  ever  since.  I  have  never  seen  such 
squab  breeding.  Squabs  average  three  pounds  in  weight  at  twenty-four 
days    old. 

I  have  a  very  large  plant  constructed  along  your  lines  and  ideas 
which  is  giving  me  the  greatest  of  satisfaction. 

F..M.  Prevost. 


Oxnard,  California. 
Mr.   E.  H.   Eggleston: 

The  following  is  some   information  regarding   Swiss   Mondaines. 

For  almost  a  decade  there  have  been  a  few  White  Swiss  Mondaine 
pigeons  in  this  country,  with  a  light  scattering  of  the  Blue-Bars  and 
an  occasional   Silver,  which  is  an  off-shoot  of  the  Blue-Bars. 

The  "White  Swiss  has  been  in  a  few  breeders'  hands  who  realized 
their  worth  and  as  none  of  their  owners  happened  to  be  men  who  kept 
them  for  a  purely  commercial  purpose,  but  who  were  at  the  same 
time  rather  jealous  of  their  pots,  their  price  was  prohibitive,  in  those 
days  when  a  squabbing  pigeon  was  considered  a  child's  plaything  or  at 
most,   far   less   valuable   than   a   common   chicken. 

However,  today  a  utility  pigeon's  worth  Is  appreciated  and  its  worth 
is  high  or  low  according  to  its  production.  And  as  the  Swiss  Mon- 
daine's  squabs  run  from  15  to  18  lbs.  to  the  dozen,  good,  healthy  birds 
of  this  breed  are  worth  considerably  more  than  the  average  utility 
pigeon  whose  squabs  usually  average   10  lbs.  to  the  dozen. 

The  number  of  squab  marketed  from  a  pair  of  Swiss  Mondaines  will 
equal  the  production,  squab  for  squab,  of  any  of  the  utility  breeds 
that  produce  the  12  lb.  squabs.  The  consumption  of  grain  per  pair 
is  such  a  slight  amount  over  that  of  the  producers  of  the  12  lb.  squabs, 
that  unless  there  was  large  lofts  of  these  birds  this  increased  grain 
consumption   would   hardly  be   noticed. 

The  scarcity  of  the  White  Swiss  Mondaine  is  their  only  drawback 
for  the  commercial  squab  plant,  for  this  scarcity  tends  to  keep  their 
selling  price  well  above  that  of  the  more  common  utility  breeds. 

However,  the  writer  knows  of  a  number  of  relatively  large  com- 
mercial plants  that  are  "running  up"  flocks  of  White  Swiss  to  take 
the  place  of  the  birds  they  now  possess. 

Those  that  are  interested  in  pure  bred  live  stock  will  appreciate  the 
fact  that  a  number  of  the  leading  White  Swiss  Mondaine  breeders 
have  a  Record  Association  under  way  that  will  issue  registered  pedi- 
grees on  the  White  Swiss,  this  in  itself  may  not  amount  to  very  much 
at  the  present  time, — but  time  will  tell,  and  in  every  instance  the 
non-registered  are  forced  to  give  way  to  the  bird,  stock  or  hog  that 
has  its  pedigree  of  pure  breeding. 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEOXS  67 

The  White  Swiss  Mondaine  is  a  bird  that  has  not  been  pampered 
with  its  private  apartments,  it  has  had  to  go  into  regular,  every  day 
squab  houses  and  in  doing  this  it  has  been  working  under  a  handicap, 
for  it's  a  large  bird,  but  in  the  little  12  in.  nests  it  has  proven  its 
worth,  and  today  the  squab  house  with  the  14  x  14  in.  nests  that  are 
well  filled  with  the  bouncing  twenty  to  twenty-four  ounce  squabs 
is  as  nice  an  investment  as  any  one  could  wish  for. 

The  bird  itself  is  "  a  long,  sweepingly  upright"  white  pigeon  that 
realizes  its  size  and  strength  and  on  that  account  is  not  nervous  or 
flighty.  It  has  a  deep-hazel  eye  that  is  remarkable  for  its  "liquid 
depth"  and  the  smooth  red,  eye-cere  and  feet  are  the  finishing  touches 
to  a  graceful,  well  groomed  bird,  who  has  been  pure  bred  for  at  least 
fifteen  years  with  "speed  in  production"  as  the  motto  for  all  matings. 

WILBUR  T.  HELM. 


Crested   Mondaines 

I  confess  my  ignorance  regarding  this  l)reed.  I  have  tried  to 
secure  information  with  reference  to  same,  Init  have  made  hut 
little  headway.  The  bird  with  a  crest  called  Mondaine  is  a  large, 
fine  looking  specimen  of  a  pigeon,  an  extra  good  squab  producer 
while  it  is  active,  which  is  chiefly  in  the  spring  and  summer 
months.  This  bird  might  possess  many  qualities  from  a  utility 
standpoint,  but  with  no  more  direct  knowledge  or  information, 
this  is  as  far  as  I  can  go. 

POLISH  LYNX 

As  the  name  would  indicate  the  Polish  Lynx  pigeons  originat- 
ed in  Poland.  The  breed  is  a  very  old  one  but  as  yet  compara- 
tively unknown  in  America  as  squab  breeders.  They  are  of 
heavy  blocky'type,  low  short  legs,  and  broad  across  the  back 
and  full  breasted. 

Polish  Lynx  are  bred  in  two  colors,  blue  with  white  bars, 
where  the  ordinary  pigeon  has  black  bars  and  black  and  white 
speckled.  They  are  certainly  a  very  beautiful  bird  both  in  type 
and  feather  color  and  I  understand  are  good  squab  producers. 
Although  the  author's  personal  experience  with  the  Polish  Lynx 
is  limited,  L  could  almost  vouch  for  it  on  general  good  looks  and 
its  seeming  domestic  habits. 


68  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

WHITE  KINGS 

There  is  no  bird  in  America  that  has  made  the  rapid  stride 
in  popularity  that  the  White  King  has  the  past  few  years. 
Since  this  breed  has  become  standardized  it  has  improved  won- 
derfully in  size,  type,  squab  producing  and  other  qualities. 

I  attribute  this  principally  to  its  color  and  the  good  judgment 
used  in  selecting  a  standard  that  allowed  for  the  development 
of  the  points  that  make  birds  good  fast  breeders  of  large  fat 
squabs. 

Following  is  an  article  by  Prof.  Frank  C.  Hare  on  the  standard 
and  origin  of  this  new  bird:  "Years  of  scientific  line-breeding  by 
American  fanciers  with  a  definite  standard  or  ideal  to  attain, 
resulted  in  the  formation  of  a  new  breed  of  pigeons  of  unques- 
tionable merit.  Although  this  breed,  quite  appropriately  called 
the  White  King,  is  a  composite  of  breeds  in  various  classes,  so 
completely  have  the  different  types  and  characteristics  been 
harmonized,  that  present-day  specimens  have  few  birthmarks 
to  indicate  the  heterogeneous  parentage. 

The  White  King  is  a  middle-weight  pigeon,  neither  so  large 
as  to  be  cumbersome  and  slow  breeding,  nor  yet  so  small  as  to 
appear  insignificant  among  the  larger  breeds.  Its  attractive 
appearance  is  emphasized  by  the  remarkable  development  of 
the  deep,  well-rounded  breast,  the  broad,  strong  back,  the  com- 
pact, plump  body  carried  horizontally  on  the  short  well-set 
legs.  It  is  a  breed  of  curves,  with  each  section  of  the  body  blend- 
ing easily  into  another,  and,  when  these  rounded  sections  are 
seen  in  the  harmonious  grouping  found  only  in  the  White  King, 
the  highest  type  of  physical  beauty  is  portrayed. 

A  delineation  of  the  revised  standard  of  the  White  King  as 
adopted  by  the  American  White  King  Pigeon  Association  will  be 
instructive  to  numerous  breeders  who  have  not  in  their  mind's 
eye  a  clear-cut  picture  of  the  ideal  exhibition  White  King,  and 
who  wish  to  select  for  the  show  room  a  few  specimens  that  will 
please  judge  and  exhibitors  and  prove  an  honor  to  their  loft. 

Let  us  first  discard  those  specimens  that  are  unworthy  of 
consideration.  The  remainder  can  then  be  critically  judged  by 
the  standard,  weighing  the  defects  of  each  specimen  carefully, 
and  deciding  after  this  close  study,  what  bird  in  each  class — 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS  69 

cock,  'hen  and  youngster — is  the  best  all-around  White  King. 
At  this  time  forget  that  you  own  the  birds.  Judge  them  as 
they  will  be  judged  by  the  man  who  hangs  the  ribbons  at 
the   show. 

Disca.rd  all  birds  with  pinched  breast,  narrow  body  or  those 
showing   a  "knock-kneed"  terxiency;  all  that  have  a  long  body 


WHITE  KING 

or  long  tail  or  long  head  and  beak;  those  specimens  in  which 
the  eye  cere  (bare  flesh  around  the  eye  that  separates  it  from 
the  feathers  of  the  head)  is  white  or  pale  pink  color,  and  all 
birds  with  feathers  or  down  on  legs  or  feet. 

The  full-breasted,  blocky,  wide  backed,  broad-tailed  White 
King  is  the  ideal  to  earnestly  strive  for,  not  only  in  exhibition 
birds,  but  for  utility  specimens  as  well.  The  latter  will  produce 
plump,  attractive  squabs  more  rapidly  and  more  economically 
than  long-bodied,  long-tailed  White  Kings.    Bear  in  mind  that 


70  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

it  requires  four  limes  as  much  nourislmient  to  grow  faathers 
than  meat,  and  long  feathered,  long  bodied  squabs  arc  rarely 
plump-breasted. 

The  head  of  the  White  King  male  should  be  rather  large  and 
broad,  with  a  round,  full  skull  and  prominent  forehead.  No 
characteristic,  except  the  unsightly  long  body  recently  referred 
to,  so  greatly  detracts  from  the  kniglitly  appearance  of  the 
\\'hite  King  male  as  a  small  insignificant  head.  The  eyes  are 
large,  prominent,  and  of  reddish-brown  or  dark  hazel  color. 
The  cere  is  of  medium  size,  perfectly  round,  fine  in  texture,  the 
same  color  as  the  beak,  with  a  light  frosting  of  white  on  the 
upper  surface. 

As  the  eye  of  the  White  King  appears  almost  tolack  in  color 
from  a  short  distance,  the  narrow  band  of  rert  that  encircles 
the  eye  (forming  the  beet-red  cere)  adds  just  Wie  touch  of  color 
needed  to  beautify  and  brighten  the  white  plnmage  of  the  i^ead. 
Birds  with  white  or  pale  colored  ceres  look  common jjlace  in 
comparison. 

Until  the  adoption  of  the  standard  of  the  American  White 
King  Association,  it  sometimes  haptvened  that  White  Kings  with 
a  few  feathers  on  their  feet  were,  awarded  prizes  at  the  exhibi- 
tions. Permitting  birds  wVth  this  serious  defect,  even  though 
they  were  of  excellent  type  in  other  sections,  to  win  any  prize 
at  an  exhibition,  was  a  blunder  the  evil  effects  of  which  are 
revealed  at  most  inopportune  times.  The  only  way  to  produce 
clean-legged,  exhibition  White  Kings  is  to  breed  from  a  cock 
and  hen  of  line-bred,  clean  legged  ancestry.  Obtain  your  flock 
of  show  birds  from  a  few  pairs  of  pedigreed  stock  that  produce 
red-cered,  clean-  legged  youngsters  of  blocky  type,  rather  than 
from  a  large  flock  of  breeders  of  various  types  and  character- 
istics. The  birds  with  feathers  on  their  feet  are  usually  sold 
"utility  stock,"  and  for  this  purpose  are  equally  satisfactory  and 
less  expensive  than  exhibition  stock.  A  "knock-kneed"  White 
King  is  only  fit  to  eat.  Stout  legs  and  long,  straight  toes  increase 
the  stability  and  add  to  the  appearance  of  any  bird. 

The  plumage  is  very  close,  short,  smooth  and  firm.  Looseness 
of  feathers  is  a  serious  defect.  The  web,  quill  and  fluff  of  the 
feathers  in  all  sections  is  pure  white. 

The  wings  are  comparatively  short,  well  folded,  ending  con- 
siderably in  front  of  and  resting  on  the  tail.    The  front  of  the 


.  OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS  71 

wing  (wing  butt)  is  embedded  in  the  plumage  of  the  breast. 
Covering  the  fronts  of  the  wings  with  the  breast  feathers 
obliterates  that  racy  frontal  appearance  seen  on  all  varities  of 
Homers.    The  records  of  the  White  Kings  are  not  made  in  the  air. 

Exceptionally  large  or  small  specimens  are  undesirable.  Ex- 
hibition" White  Kings  should  weigh  24  ounces  for  hens,  and 
26  ounces  for  cocks.  It  is  unwise  to  breed  from  cocks  or  hens 
considerably  over  or  under  these  weights. 

That  the  standard  of  the  White  King  as  adopted  by  the 
American  White  King  Association  pleases  not  simply  the  lover 
of  the  beautiful  in  pigeons,  but  the  practical,  money-making 
squab  producer  who  ships  extra  select  squabs  to  a  fancy  trade, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  refer  to  the  unprecedented  growth  of  the 
White  King  in  popularity.  It  has  completely  substantiated  its 
right  of  recognition  as  a  handsome  show  pigeon  for  the  fancier, 
and  as  a  rapid  producer  of  twelve-pound,  plump  breasted,  white 
fleshed  S(iua])s  in  the  lofts  of  those  who  have  investigated  its 
claims.  It  is  a  breed  of  deeds,  not  of  words,  a  breed  which 
typifies  the  American  standard  of  industry,  a  beloved  king 
among  pigeons,  a  White  King  whose  kingdom  is  ever  increasing." 

CROSS   BREEDS 

The  average  beginner  in  the  pigeon  business  undertakes  to 
establish,  ci'eate  (or  manufacture  might  be  a  better  word)  a 
squab-producing  pigeon  according  to  his  own  architectural  de- 
signs. Crossing  breeds  of  pigeons  is  waste  of  time  even  by 
people  who  understand  what  they  want  to  accomplish  and  have 
an  Idea  as  to  the  results  of  different  crossing,  for  it  takes  years 
to  develop  a  hybrid  into  a  bird  that  will  perpetuate  itself  in  size, 
type,  color,  and  qualities.  Besides,  it  requires  hundreds,  yes, 
thousands  of  pigeons,  a  large  outlay  of  capital,  ample  room  and 
equipment,  constant  attention  and  endless  patience.  Even  with 
all  this  the  outcome  is  a  gamble.  How,  then,  can  an  inexpe- 
rienced person,  with  a  vague  knowledge  of  what  he  wants  to 
accomplish,  with  a  few  birds  and  no  equipment,  expect  to  con- 
vert himself,  like  magic,  into  a  Darwin  or  a  "Pigeon  Burbank?" 

This  not  only  applies  to  beginners,  but  often  to  people  who 
have  been  plodding  along  for  years  in  the  pigeon  business  with 
a  few  birds  of  first  this  and  that  variety.    That  some  breeds  are 


72 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


better  and  superior  to  others  goes  without  saying,  but  even  an 
inferior  breed,  in  my  opinion,  is  better  than  newly-created 
crosses.  With  the  former,  one  at  least  knows  the  kind  he  has, 
while  with  the  latter  it  is  a  continuous  grope  in  the  dark. 

Why  experiment  with  crossing  breeds?  I  have  asked  many 
people  this  question  and  this  is  the  general  run  of  answers: 
"We  wanted  to  see  what  a  Carneau-Homcr  or  a  Carneau- White 
King  or  a  Carneau  some  other  breed  would  produce." 

In  many  cases  they  had  the  result  of  the  cross  there  to  show 
me,  and  invariably  they  were  much  disappointed  with  the  hy- 


SQUAB  BREEDING  CROSSES 

brids  produced.  Another  common  answer  to  my  question  is: 
"We  wanted  to  improve  the  size  of  our  stock  of  this  or  that  breed 
so  we  are  crossing  the  Runt  with  them."  Other  people  had, 
so  they  said,  a  few  birds  that  the  color  was  not  just  what  they 
wanted  so  threw  them  into  a  pen  of  mixed  breeds;  and  this  is 
their  reason  for  crossing.  Others  were  trying  to  raise  a  dozen 
or  more  breeds  without  sufficient  room  to  raise  one,  and  were 
allowing  these  different  breeds  to  cross  and  re-cross  as  they 
pleased. 

A  hybrid  generally  carries  the  color  of  one  parent,  the  shape 
and   tyi)e   of   the   other   and   the   poor   qutilities   of   both.     To 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  UTILITY  PIGEONS  73 

illustrate:  The  color  of  a  Carneau  is  very  strong  and  predomi- 
nates in  its  offspring  when  crossed  with  hirds  of  almost  any  other 
color  or  breed.  For  instance,  a  red  Carneau  and  white  bird  of 
another  breed  will  invariably  produce  a  red  hybrid  with  more  or 
less  blue  and  slate  feathers  on  it.  Often  the  whole  tail  will  be  dark 
blue  or  almost  black,  with  the  rest  of  the  body  red  or  a  reddish 
brown.  The  offspring  will,  of  course,  show  some  of  the  Carneau 
characteristics  besides  the  red  feathers,  but  all  such  hybrids 
that  I  have  ever  seen  resemble  their  other-than-Cameau  an- 
cestors in  the  shape  of  the  head  and  general  type.  As  an  exam- 
ple, the  Homer-Carneau  cross  is  generally  under  size,  has  a  fiat, 
snake-like  Homer  head,  and  a  longer  bill,  but  not  as  thick  as 
the  Homer  bill.  A  Runt-Carneau  cross  will  have  a  long  body, 
short  neck  and  legs  like  a  Runt,  with  a  Runt  tendency  to  drag 
its  wings,  while  a  Carneau-Maltese  cross  will  show  up  just  the 
opposite,  with  a  short  body,  long  neck  and  legs,  and  a  tendency 
to  carry  its  tail  high,  a  la  Maltese. 

All  these  and  other  Carneau  crosses  that  I  have  seen  are 
generally  red  with  more  or  less  slate  or  blue  feathers  on  them, 
and  none  of  them  are  as  good  as  the  pure  bred  Carneau  for  squab 
breeding  purposes;  so  nothing  is  gained  by  crossing. 


CHAPTER   V 
FEEDS   AND    FEEDING 

WHEN   AND   HOW   TO   FEED 

There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  best  time  to 
feed  squab  producing  pigeons,  also  as  to  the  method  of  feeding. 
Some  advocate  open  feeding  troughs,  others  use  self-feeders, 
and  I  have  seen  a  few  men  who  prefer  to  throw  the  feed  on 
the  floor  of  the  squab  house.  The  latter  method  is  more  often 
used  by  the  breeders  of  a  few  fancy  pigeons  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  squab  raisers  who  use  this  method  borrowed  it  from  the 
fancy  pigeon  men. 

Those  who  practice  throwing  the  grain  on  the  floor,  generally 
feed  three  times  a  day,  as  much  as  the  birds  will  eat  up  clean, 
at  the  time  they  are  being  fed.  Those  that  use  self-feeders  gen- 
erally fill  their  hoppers  once  a  day  with  enough  grain  to  last 
until  next  filling  time,  and  those  that  use  open  troughs,  as  a 
rule,  feed  their  birds  twice  a  day.  This  is  the  plan  more 
universally  used  by  squab  producers.  There  are  objections, 
however,  to  all  these  plans.  The  objection  to  throwing  the  grain 
loose  on  the  floor  is  that  some  of  it  will  invariably  be  left  and 
eaten  later,  and  vviiile  laying  on  the  dirty  floor  is  apt  to  sour  or 
spoil  and  give  the  brids  canker.  Another  objection  to  this  plan 
is  the  boldest  and  most  hoggish  birds  will  gorge  themselves 
leaving  little  or  nothing  for  the  more  timid  ones.  Another  ob- 
jection is  it  requires  too  much  time  with  a  large  plant  to  go 
aroimd  to  each  nest  room  and  wait  while  the  birds  are  feeding 
and  see  just  how  much  they  will  clean  up.  Then,  too,  with  this 
method,  it  is  necessary  to  feed  three  times  a  day,  in  order  that 
the  males  can  get  food,  early  in  the  morning,  with  which  to  feed 
their  young;  at  noon  the  birds  must  be  fed  again  so  that  the 
females  that  are  off  the  nest  at  that  time  will  have  a  chance  to 

74 


FEEDS   AND   FEEDING  75 

get  something  to  eat;  and  another  feed  is  necessary  at  night  so 
that  the  males  may  again  feed  their  squabs. 

I  have  been  told  that  twice  a  day  was  all  that  was  necessary 
with  this  method,  as  females  that  were  sitting  will  soon  learn 
to  fly  off  the  nest  at  feeding  time  and  eat  along  with  the  other 
birds,  but  my  observation  and  experience  has  been  that  females 
will  not  stay  off  the  nest  long  enough  to  get  a  sufficient  amount 
to  eat.  They  will,  if  they  are  hungry,  fly  down,  but  they  will 
just  stay  long  enough  to  pick  up  a  few  grains  and  then  fly 
back  to  the  nest.  Pigeons  do  not  like  to  let  their  eggs  stay 
uncovered  for  even  a  short  period  of  time.  As  proof  of  this,  when 
the  male  takes  the  place  of  the  female  on  the  nest  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  when  the  female  again  relieves  the  male  in  the  after- 
noon, the  bird  on  the  nest  will  not  get  from  over  the  eggs  until 
its  mate  is  on  the  nest  by  its  side;  one  will  slip  off  the  nest  as 
the  other  one  slips  on,  allowing  practically  no  lapse  of  time  in 
the  operation.  It  is  unnatural  for  pigeons  to  leave  the  nest 
for  something  to  eat  as  is  the  habit  with  chickens. 

Self-feeders  have  never  proven  a  success.  No  feeder  has  so 
far  been  perfected  that  will  force  the  birds  to  eat  the  grain  as  it 
comes  out  of  the  hopper.  While  pigeons  require  several  kinds 
of  grain,  they  like  some  kinds  better  than  others.  Therefore, 
they  pick  out  the  choice  kind  first.  This  will  leave  the  kind 
they  like  least  or  the  undesirable  grain  uneaten  and  this  uneaten 
grain  will  soon  choke  up  the  feeder. 

You  might  figiu'e  that  when  the  birds  are  hungry  enough  they 
will  eat  up  this  less  desirable  kind  of  grain  that  has  choked 
the  feeder,  and  that  would  automatically  make  room  for  the 
new  supply  of  the  regular  mixture,  but  such  is  not  the  case,  for 
birds,  by  actual  test,  will  not  do  so.  Furthermore,  one  day  the 
feeder  will  be  choked  with  one  kind  of  grain  and  another  day 
with  another,  according  to  the  appetites  of  the  birds  on  different 
days.  With  an  open  trough,  when  grain  is  left  one  day  the 
birds  will  invariably  eat  it  up  in  the  next  day,  especially  if  a 
smaller  portion  is  given  them.  Of  course,  if  one  particular  kind 
of  grain  keeps  accumulating,  the  mixture  can  be  changed  and 
the  portion  of  that  kind  be  reduced. 

Where  there  are  more  than  one  pen  of  birds  being  kept,  a  good 
plan  is  to  carry  the  grain  left  over  from  one  nest  room  to  another. 


76  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

For  instance,  birds  in  one  nest  room  will  leave  wheat,  while 
kafir  com  will  be  left  in  another,  and  still  another  will  have 
all  the  grain  cleaned  up,  so  the  left  over  wheat  or  kafir  com 
can  be  switched  over  to  the  pens  where  there  was  none  of  that 
porticular  kind  left,  and  then  the  regular  mixture  of  feed  poured 
on  top  of  it.  Open  troughs  that  are  placed  in  the  nest  room  must 
be  protected  in  some  way  to  keep  birds  from  perching  on  the 
edge  of  the  trough  and  fouling  the  grain. 

As  to  the  best  kind  of  feed  trough,  it  depends  on  the  construc- 
tion of  the  nest  room.  If  the  Eggleston  plan  of  nest  room  con- 
struction is  followed,  feeding  boxes  or  feeding  troughs  can  be 
placed  in  the  aisle  outside  of  the  nest  room,  which  will  prevent 
the  birds  from  fouling  the  grain  and  at  the  same  time  place  the 
troughs  where  they  are  easily  accessible  and  can  be  quickly 
filled  or  emptied  and  cleaned.  All  pigeons  have  a  habit  of 
throwing  the  grain  out  of  the  trough,  which  causes  considerable 
waste.  They  do  this  while  hunting  for  choice  kinds  of  grain. 
The  troughs,  therefore,  should  be  built  in  a  way  to  prevent  as 
much  of  this  waste  as  possible. 

The  aisle  feeding  trough,  you  will  note,  is  built  with  the  two 
ends  and  the  back  higher  than  the  front.  This  is  done  to  pre- 
vent the  birds  from  throwing  the  grain  out,  and  if  the  feed 
trough  is  in  the  aisle  the  feed  thrown  out  can  be  easily  swept  up 
and  used  over  again.  By  personal  experience  and  the  experience 
of  others,  I  find  that  birds  should  be  fed  twice  a  day,  early  in  the 
morning  and  at  noon. 

There  are  several  important  things  to  take  into  consideration 
when  feeding  birds,  viz.:  to  supply  feed  for  squabs  ten  days 
old  or  older,  which  is  carried  to  them  principally  by  the  male 
bird;  to  supply  feed  for  squabs  under  ten  days,  which  is  carried 
to  them  by  both  male  and  female,  but  principally  by  the  female; 
to  supply  feed  for  maintenance  of  the  male  and  female  that 
have  no  squabs;  for  the  maintenance  of  the  yoimg  birds  in  the 
loft  that  receive  little  or  no  feed  from  their  parents;  to  supply 
feed  to  the  female  that  has  eggs  or  very  young  squabs,  causing 
her  to  remain  on  the  nest  the  greater  part  of  the  day. 

The  female  sits  on  the  eggs  at  night  and  until  nine  or  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  again  takes  her  place  on  the  nest 


FEEDS   AND  FEEDING  77 

about  three  or  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  If  feea  is  given 
morning  and  night,  the  males  and  non-setting  birds  will  eat  up 
the  best  portion  and  choice  grain,  while  the  female  is  on  the 
nest,  and  when  they  come  off  for  their  feed  and  recreation,  in 
the  middle  of  the  day,  they  will  find  nothing  but  picked  over 
and  refused  grain  and  generally  not  enough  of  that.  When  the 
female  is  sitting,  she  needs  good,  choice,  rich  food.  Therefore, 
by  feeding  at  noon  time,  when  the  female  is  off  the  nest,  she 
will  get  what  she  needs  in  the  way  of  feed. 

There  should  be  enough  grain  given  at  the  noon  feed  to  last 
over  until  night.  This  will  give  the  males  an  opportunity  of 
feeding  their  squabs  after  they  come  off  the  nest  at  three  or 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  females  will  also  have  a 
chance  to  do  some  feeding  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  which  will 
produce  larger  and  fatter  squabs  than  if  the  female  has  to 
hustle  for  her  own  feed.  This  will  compel  her  to  leave  the  bulk 
of  the  feeding  to  the  male.  The  birds  should  be  given  all  they 
will  eat  up  clean  at  the  morning  feed  and  a  little  left  over  for 
the  youngsters  in  the  loft,  which,  being  less  agrgrcssive  and 
weaker  than  the  older  birds,  are  crowded  away  from  the  trough 
and  have  to  depend  more  or  less  upon  what  is  left. 

The  males  will  eat  up  the  choicest  grain  in  the  morning  first. 
Then  they  take  a  drink  of  water  and  fly  to  the  nest  and  feed  their 
squabs.  This  will  give  the  squabs  the  best  and  most  fattening 
food.  The  food  that  is  left  for  the  old  birds  will  be  sufficient  in 
strength  for  them.  The  earlier  the  birds  are  fed  in  the  morning, 
the  better.  They  generally  get  up  at  daylight,  and  if  there  is  any 
grain  left  over  in  the  trough,  from  the  day  before,  they  will  clean 
that  up  and  be  waiting  for  more  feed,  regardless  of  how  early 
you  might  get  up  to  feed  them. 

WHAT  TO   FEED 

Pigeons  are  strictly  vegetarians.  They  eat  grain  and  seed 
principally,  with  a  little  green  stuff,  such  as  grass,  clover, 
lettuce  or  Swiss  chard.  They  are  very  particular  as  to  the 
quality  of  the  grain,  especially  birds  that  are  kept  in  fly  pens. 
Bad  or  spoiled  grain  is  apt  to  make  them  sick. 

The  first  opinion  of  the  average  person  who  knows  nothing 
about  pigeons,  is  that  they  are  like  a  chicken  with  reference 


78  AMERICAN     SQUAB    CULTURE 

to  eating;  that  is,  they  think  a  pigeon  will  eat  and  thrive  on 
anything,  including  scraps  and  slop.  About  the  only  scraps 
from  the  table  that  a  pigeon  will  eat  is  crumbs  of  bread,  and 
bread  is  all  right  for  them  because  it  is  a  grain  product,  but 
too  much  bread  is  physicing. 

The  average  ])eryon  who  knows  a  little  about  pigeons  is  gen- 
erally of  the  opinion  that  most  any  kind  of  grain  will  do,  and 
that  an  assortment  of  grain  is  not  necessary.  Then  we  have 
the  other  extremists  w^ho  believe  tliat  pigeons  should  have  a 
larger  assortment  of  grain  than  is  necessary.  The  latter  class 
is  generally  confined  to  a  person  who  has  a  few  high  grade 
fancy  pigeons,  and  through  his  desire  to  obtain  the  best  possible 
results,  regardless  of  expense,  he  feeds  his  birds  an  assortment 
of  expensive  graiji  and  seeds,  but  I  have  not  noticed  that  their 
pigeons  thrive  any  better  than  those  which  receive  a  small 
assortment  of  cheaper  grain. 

There  are  several  ways  to  err  in  feeding  pigeons,  namely:  To 
overfeed,  to  underfeed,  to  feed  too  expensive,  and  too  great  a 
variety  of  grains;  to  feed  an  assortment  of  grains  that  are  too 
light  in  food  values,  and  to  feed  too  small  a  variety  of  grains, 
or  grains  that  are  not  sufficiently  strong  in  food  values. 

Then  one  can  make  a  mistake  by  feeding  too  great  a  portion 
of  certain  grains,  wheat  for  instance,  which  will,  if  fed  in  too 
great  a  quantity,  cause  bowel  trouble.  A  well  balanced  feed 
scientifically  proportioned  is  without  question  the  best  for  not 
only  pigeons,  but  animals  of  all  kinds,  including  people.  But 
such  a  thing  is  not  always  practical,  and  as  several  combina- 
tions of  three  or  four  different  grains  can  be  selected  that  will 
be  almost  a  balanced  feed,  you  will  not  go  far  wrong  by  the 
latter  method,  which  is  not  hard  to  follow^ 

Three  or  four  kinds  of  grain  is  all  that  is  really  necessary  to 
feed  pigeons,  but  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  grain  is 
of  a  good  quality,  and  that  the  assortment  contains  about  the 
right  percentage  of  the  different  food  values. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  do  not  care  to  make  a  study  of 
this  question,  I  will  give  below^  a  few  simple  formulas  or  combi- 
nations of  three  or  four  different  grain  assortments  that  contain 
about  the  right  proportions  in  food  values,  also  specifying  grains 
that  can  be  substituted  for  the  different  kinds  mentioned. 

Here  are  some  of  the  combinations  of  cheap  grains  that  can 


FEEDS   AND   FEEDING  79 

be  depended  upon  to  give  fairly  good  results,  and  which  can 
generally  be  secured  in  most  any  section  of  the  country  for 
reasonable  prices: 

Kafir  com,  3  parts;  whole  corn,  4  parts;  wheat,  3  parts;  Can- 
ada peas,  2  parts. 

Buckwheat,  1  part;  kafir  com,  3  parts;  whole  corn,  4  parts; 
Canada  peas,  2  parts. 

Wheat,  3  parts;  cracked  corn,  1  part;  whole  corn,  3  parts; 
Canada  peas,  2  parts. 

Millet,  hemp  and  sunflower  seeds  can  be  added  to  any  of  the 
above  combinations  in  portions  of  1/2  part  to  3  parts  wheat,  and 
4  parts  corn. 

Milo  maize  of  feterita  is  practically  the  same  as  kafir  corn, 
and  either  of  these  two  grains  can  be  substituted  for  kafir  corn 
in  part  or  in  whole.  All  three  are  splendid  pigeon  feed,  and 
birds  should  be  given  all  they  will  eat  of  these  grains. 

If  Canada  peas  are  not  available  or  too  expensive,  they  can 
be  substituted  with  cow  peas,  peanuts  or  soy  beans.  Pigeons, 
however,  do  not  take  very  quickly  to  soy  beans,  and  will  have 
to  be  educated  to  eat  them,  and  the  same  is  true  of  peanuts, 
but  they  will  learn  to  eat  peanuts  much  quicker  than  they 
will  soy  beans. 

Wheat,  kafir  corn  and  corn  should  be  made  the  basis  in  this 
country  of  all  pigeon  feeds,  as  each  of  these  grains  are  generally 
obtainable  at  reasonable  prices. 

Your  pigeons  will  to  a  large  degree  act  as  a  barometer,  so  to 
speak,  as  to  the  proper  proportions  of  wheat,  kafir  com  and 
corn  that  they  should  be  fed,  provided  you  notice  which  one 
of  these  grains  they  leave  in  the  trough  in  the  largest  quantity. 

Pigeons,  if  hungry,  will  eat  all  the  wheat,  corn  and  kafir 
com  you  give  them,  even  if  it  is  not  in  the  right  proportion,  but 
they  will  first  eat  these  grains  in  about  the  proportion  they 
should  have,  and  then  if  hungry  eat  the  balance  of  the  kind 
that  was  over  in  proportion. 

This  is  also  true  with  millet,  buckwheat  and  sunflower  seeds, 
but  is  not  true  with  hemp,  peas  or  peanuts,  as  pigeons  will  eat 
more  of  these  articles  than  is  good  for  them,  until  they  get 
stalled  by  an  oversupply  of  rich  food,  as  a  child  would  candy 
or  nuts. 


80      •  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

A  good  practice  when  feeding  a  small  assortment  of  cheap 
grain,  is  to  change  the  feed  combination  slightly  once  or  twice 
a  week.  Some  breeders  switch  from  one  combination  to  another 
daily;  for  instance,  wheat,  kafir  corn  and  peas  one  day,  and 
wheat,  milo  maize,  corn  and  peanuts  the  next  day. 

Com  is  the  one  grain  that  contains  the  largest  per  cent  of  the 
different  essential  food  values  for  pigeons. 

Kafir  com,  milo  maize  and  feterita  contain  about  the  same 
food  value  as  corn,  and  each  contains  more  of  the  different 
essential  food  values  than  any  other  grain.  Each  of  these 
grains  constitute  almost  a  balanced  food,  and  either  could  be 
fed  alone  for  a  short  period  and  for  a  longer  period  by  adding 
a  small  portion  of  peas,  or  pea  substitute. 

Cracked  corn  is  not  as  good  as  whole  corn  for  pigeons,  but 
is  necessary  in  the  absence  of  kafir  corn,  milo  maize  or  feterita 
when  pigeons  have  young  squabs  to  feed,  as  squabs  less  than 
a  week  or  ten  days  old  can  not  take  whole  grain  com.  Squabs 
can  swallow  whole  com  easily  after  they  are  ten  days  old. 
There  is  no  danger  of  squabs  getting  choked  on  whole  corn, 
for  their  throats  are  larger  than  the  opening  in  their  beaks, 
and  they  can  swallow  anything  that  they  can  get  in  their  mouths. 

COMPOSITION    OF   PIGEON   FEED 

If  one  cares  to  go  into  the  question  of  the  composition  of  feed 
in  a  scientific  way  much  benefit  can  be  had  by  studying  care- 
fully the  relative  values  of  the  different  articles  of  feed  suitable 
for  pigeons,  but  even  a  sight  knowledge  gained  by  a  hurried 
reading  of  the  following  facts  will  prove  beneficial  as  well  as 
interesting.  To  start  with,  I  will  quote  from  an  article  written 
by  Mr.  Jas.  P.  Kinnard: 

"The  feed  of  herbivorous  animals,  poultry  and  pigeons,  con- 
tains the  same  four  groups  of  substances  found  in  the  body, 
towit:  (1)  Water;  (2)  Ash;  (3)  Protein  (or  nitrogenous  nutri- 
ents); (4)  Fats;  and  in  addition  thereto  they  also  contain  another 
class  of  nutrients  called  (5)  Nitrogen-free  extracts,  mostly  carbo- 
hydrates, which  is,  by  far,  the  most  plentiful  feed  contained 
in  nearly  all  grains  and  vegetable  feeds.  Thus  it  will  be  seen 
that  there  is  no  element  contained  in  the  animal  body  similar 
to  the  nitrogen  free  extracts,  or  carbohydrates,  the  most  plenti- 
ful of  all  material  contained  in  seeds  and  grains." 


FEEDS   AND  FEEDING  81' 

Nutrients 

The  groups  of  food  materials  are  called  nutrients.  To  a 
certain  extent,  at  least,  these  nutrients  may  replace  one  another, 
although  no  nutrient  can  take  the  place  of  protein  for  building 
tissue  and  preparing  \\aste  of  nitrogenous  materials  in  the  body. 
The  fats  and  carbohydrates  perform  similar  functions,  and 
to  a  large  extent,  carbohydrate -materials  may  replace  fat  in 
the  food,  even  when  a  large  fat  production  is  demanded  of  the 
animal. 

To  supply  food  in  the  right  proportions  to  meet  the  various 
requirements  of  the  body,  without  a  waste  of  food  nutrients, 
constitutes  scientific  feeding. 

Analysis  of  Feed  StufTs 

A  complete  analysis  of  feed  stuffs  gives  in  percentages  the 
contents  of  water,  ash,  protein,  nitrogen,  free  extracts  (mainly 
carbohydrates),  and  fats. 

Water 

Water,  or  moisture,  is  more  or  less  contained  in  all  feed  stuffs, 
but  being  more  than  ordinary  water,  it  has  no  special  nutritive 
value.  The  more  water  a  feed  stuff  contains,  however,  the  less 
of  the  other  nutritives  it  contains,  and  the  more  liable  it  is  to 
injury  by  heating,  souring,  or  molding.  The  water  contents 
of  feeds  vary.  In  grains  and  other  concentrates  it  runs  from 
about  7  per  cent  to  12  per  cent  but  larger  in  fresh  grains. 

Nutritive  Ratio 

The  nutritive  ratio  is  the  proportion  of  digestible  protein  to 
digestible  non-protein,  but,  as  heretofore  stated,  I  shall  not  enter 
into  the  digestibility  of  feeds,  except  to  a  very  limited  extent, 
for  fear  of  making  the  subject  appear  too  intricate  and  difficult 
of  understanding,  and  confusing  to  the  reader.  In  calculating , 
the  digestibility  of  feeds,  as  practically  all  pigeon  feeds  have 
about  the  same  proportion  of  digestibility,  I  shall  give  only  the 
total  content  of  each  element,  as  shown  by  chemical  analysis. 

In  calculating  the  nutritive  ratio,  the  percentage  of  fats  (either 
extract),  is  multiplied  by  2^/4,  and  to  this  product  is  added  the 
sum  of  the  percentages  of     nitrogen-free-extract     (hereinafter ' 
called  carbohydrates),  and  crude  fiber,  and  this  total  is  divided 
by  the  percentage  of  protein,  which  gives  the  nutritive  ratio. 


82  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

To  illustrate:  If  a  feed  stuff  contains  15  per  cent  protein,  4  per 
cent  fats,  70  per  cent  carbohydrates,  and  3  per  cent  crude  fiber. 
The  percentage  of  fats,  4,  multiplied  by  2^4  gives  9,  to  which 
product  is  added  the  sum  of  the  percentages  of  carbo-hydrates 
and  crude  fiber.  Seventy  and  3,  gives  82,  which,  divided  by  the 
percentage  of  protein,  15,  gives  a  nutritive  ratio  of  1:5.5,  nearly, 
a  very  fine  ratio  for  pigeons,  by  the  way. 

The  percentage  of  fat  is  multiplied  by  2^  times  as  much 
nourishment  as  the  same  percentage  of  carbohydrates  and  crude 
fiber  combined. 

Ash 

Ash  is  the  material  left  after  the  consumption  of  a  feed  stuff 
with  fire,  and  consists  chiefly  of  lime,  magnesia,  potash,  soda, 
iron,  chlorin,  and  carbonic,  sulphuric,  and  phosphoric  acids — 
substances  largely  used  in  the  formation  of  bones.  As  a  rule 
a  ration  composed  of  a  variety  of  feeds  contains  sufficient  ash, 
or  mineral,  to  supply  the  body  of  animals,  but  this  is  not 
altogether  true  with  that  of  poultry  and  pigeons.  They  must 
be  supplied  with  a  good  health  grit. 

Corn  is  very  deficient  in  ash,  and  when  fed  alone  to  pigeons, 
it  becomes  necessary  to  add  ash  materials,  such  as  are  contained 
in  the  specially  prepared  pigeon  health  grits,  composed,  usually, 
of  granite  grit,  sharp  sand,  ground  shells,  salt,  charcoal,  and 
other  ingredients  containing  medicinal  properties,  to  assist  in 
grinding  the  food  in  the  crop,  in  making  egg  shell,  and  in 
addition  thereto  to  assist  in  keeping  the  l)ody  in  a  good,  thrifty, 
healthy  condition;  and  the  addition  of  ash  in  the  materials  men- 
tioned is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  pigeons  in  confinement. 

Com  is  good  feed,  as  com  is  usually  the  most  plentiful  of 
feeds,  but,  being  largely  composed  of  carbohydrates  and  fats, 
it  cannot  be  safely  fed  alone  to  animals,  poultry,  or  pigeons, 
because  it  is  deficient  in  some  of  the  most  important  elements 
necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  the  body,  as  protein  and  ash. 

Protein 

Protein  in  food  is  that  constituent,  or  nutrient,  that  forms 
lean  flesh,  muscle,  ligaments,  hair,  wool,  feathers,  most  of  the 
internal  organs,  and  other  portions  of  the  body,  and  is  most 
important  food  to  be  fed,  as  well  as  being  the  most  expensive. 
It  furnishes  material  for  flesh  and  replaces  the  wear  and  tear 


FEEDS   AND  FEEDING  83 

of  the  body.  Besides  furnishing  material  for  tissue,  it  also  con- 
tains carbon  and  may  be  burned  to  form  heat  and  energy,  or 
serve  as  a  source  of  fats  or  carbohydrates  in  the  materials  fed, 
containing  a  deficiency  of  such  nutrients  and  an  excess  of 
protein;  but  the  production  of  fat,  heat,  and  energy  with  protein 
is  very  expensive.  Therefore,  as  protein  substances  are  always 
the  most  expensive  feeds,  it  never  pays  to  feed  an  excess  of 
protein,  such  as  is  contained  in  cotton  seed  meal  to  cattle,  beef- 
scraps  to  chickens,  and  peas  or  scrap  peanuts  to  pigeons.  Be- 
sides, an  excess  of  protein  is  really  injurious,  producing  an  en- 
largement of  the  liver,  and  a  plethoric  condition  of  the  system, 
generally. 

For  these  reasons,  feeds  very  rich  in  protein  should  not  be 
fed  alone,  nor  in  too  great  proportions. 

Fats  and  Oils 

Fats  and  oils  are  used  in  the  animal  body  as  a  source  of  fat 
and  also  to  furnish  heat  and  energy.  Animals  require  heat  to 
keep  the  body  warm  and  energy  to  run  the  animal  mechanism, 
and  do  outside  work.  The  beating  of  the  heart,  eating,  breath- 
ing, movement  of  the  intestines,  and  the  muscular  movements, 
such  as  the  head,  arms,  legs,  wings,  require  energy  furnished 
by  the  burning,  or  oxidation  of  fats,  carbohydrates,  or  protein, 
one  pound  of  fat  in  the  feed  being  equivalent  to  2^/4  pounds 
of  carbohydrates. 

Value  of  Fats 

Fat  ranks  next  to  protein  in  value  as  a  food  element,  or  nu- 
trient. The  more  protein  and  fat  a  certain  class  of  feed  stuff 
contains,  the  better  the  quality,  as  compared  with  other  feed 
stuffs  of  the  same  class.  Peanuts  containing  58  per  cent  protein 
and  fats  combined  is  more  valuable  than  peanuts  containing 
only  48  per  cent  protien  and  fats  combined.  Two  feed  stuffs 
of  different  kinds  cannot,  however,  always  be  compared  on  the 
basis  of  their  protein  and  fat  contents  alone,  for  other  factors 
must  be  considered. 

Crude   Fiber 
Crude   fiber  is  that  part  of  vegetable   feeds  that  resists  the 
action  of  acids  and  alkalis,  and  consists  mainly  of  the  cell  walls 
the  woody  fiber.     It  is  the  most  indigestible  part  of  food  pro- 


84  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

ducts.  The  hays  and  fodders  contain  large  quantities  of  crude 
fiber,  while  as  a  rule,  seeds,  grains,  and  other  concentrated  feed 
stuffs  contain  only  a  very  small  proportion  of  crude  fiber.  This 
element  is,  therefore,  of  but  little  importance  in  the  consideration 
of  feed  stuffs  for  pigeons,  their  food  consisting  almost  entirely 
of  grains  and  other  concentrated  feed  stuffs,  containing  but  very 
small  proportion  of  crude  fiber.  Hence,  crude  fiber  enters  but 
very  little  into  the  consideration  of  pigeon  feeds,  but  they  should 
contain  only  small  proportions  of  crude  fiber.  Barley  contains 
considerable  crude  filler,  on  account  of  the  husk  remaining  on 
the  seed,  and  this  explains  why  pigeons  do  not  like  barley 
very  much. 

Carbohydrates 

Nitrogen-free  extracts  (mostly  carbohydartes),  meaning  feeds 
free  from  nitrogen,  or  protein,  are  composed  of  starch,  sugar, 
dextrin  (gum),  and  other  substances  of  a  similar  nature,  and 
are  mostly  carbohydrates,  containing  carbon,  hydrogen,  and 
oxygen,  and  is  the  most  plentiful  of  all  nutrients  contained  in 
grains  and  other  feed  stuffs  suitable  for  pigeons. 

Value  of  Carbohydrates 
Most  concentrated  feed  stuffs,  consisting  of  grains,  such  as 
corn,  milo  maize,  kafir,  feterita,  wheat,  buckwheat,  rye,  barley, 
millet  and  rice,  are  carbohydrates  and  composed  largely  of 
starches,  sugars,  and  dextrin  (or  gums)  and  are  easily  digested 
and  of  great  advantage  to  the  animal  body;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  nitrogen-free  extracts  contained  in  wheat  bran,  corn 
bran,  corn  cobs,  peanut  hulls,  hay,  fodder,  etc.,  are  composed 
of  other  materials  than  starch,  sugar  and  gums,  and  are  of  less 
value  as  feed  stuffs.  Therefore,  the  carbohydrates,  or  nitrogen- 
free  extracts  of  these  two  kinds  of  feed  stuffs  cannot  be  compared. 

Utilization  of  Foods 
When  food  is  digested,  there  are  considerable  losses  due  to 
undigested  food,  to  losses  as  gases,  and  to  the  work  involved 
in  digestion.  The  remainder  represents  the  net  value  of  the  food 
to  the  animal  or  bird.  This  net  food  value  is  the  nourishment 
secured  from  food,  after  deducting  all  losses  involved  in  the 
process  of  digestion.  This  net  nutriment  must  first  be  used  for 
taking  care  of  the  bodily  needs,  and  the  excess,  if  any,  can  then 
be  used  for  productive  purposes. 


FEEDS   AND   FEEDING 


85 


The  needs  of  pigeons  may  be  grouped  into  two  classes:  (1) 
tissue  building  materials,  for  building  or  repairing  tissue  con- 
sumed during  the  life  process,  and  (2)  energy  forming  materials, 
which  may  be  used  for  heat  and  energy,  or  stored  up  as  fat. 
Protein  is  the  only  constituent  of  food  that  can  be  used  to  repair 
animal  tissue,  to  build  lean  meat.  It  is  required  in  compara- 
tively small  amounts  for  full  grown  pigeons,  except  when  they 
are  feeding  a  pair  of  big  husky  squabs,  for  squabs  are  rapidly 
growing  tissue,  and  require  large  quantities  of  protein. 

Hence,  while  mature  pigeons,  not  mated  or  working,  that  is, 
raising  and  feeding  their  squabs,  require  only  small  quantities 
of  protein,  yet  when  raising  squabs,  the  old  pair  must  be  fed 
sufficient  quantities  of  food  to  sustain  animal  heat  and  energy 
and  repair  waste  tissue  in  their  own  bodies  and,  in  addition 
thereto,  to  furnish  the  necessary  material  to  raise  a  pair  of 
squabs  that  will  in  four  weeks'  time  nearly  equal  the  weight 
of  their  parents.  To  enable  them  to  do  this,  the  mated  pair? 
should  be  fed  a  ration  containing  a  large  proportion  of  protein, 
and  consequently  a  narrow  nutritive  ratio.  Hence,  practically 
all  grains  are  more  or  less  deficient  in  protein.  There  is  an 
absolute  necessity  for  feeding  pigeons  a  liberal  ration  of  such 
protein  feeds  as  Canada  field  peas,  scrap  peanuts,  or  soy  beans. 

Protein  is  utilized  in  building  the  lean  meat  and  assists  in 
making  the  frame  of  the  squab,  while  the  fats  and  carbohydrates 
furnish  the  fat  which  keeps  its  body  warm,  and  furnishes  the 
energy  to  rim  its  animal  mechanism. 

TAsr-i:  OP  POOD  analysis 

From   the   U.   S.   Department  of  Agriculture. 


Water 

Ash 

Protein 

Fibre 

Carbo- 

Fat 

per  cent 

per  cent 

per  cent 

per  cent 

hydrate 
per    cent 

per  cent 

Buckwheat 

...    12.6 

2.0 

10.0 

8.7 

64.5 

2.2 

Cow   Peas    . 

11.9 

3.4 

23.5 

3.8 

55.7 

1.7 

Corn    

...     1..9 

1.5 

10.5 

2.1 

69.6 

5.4 

Hemp   Seed 

9.0 

4.5 

21.0 

18.0 

16.9 

30.6 

Kaffir    

.  .  .    12.5 

1.5 

10.5 

2.1 

70.5 

2.9 

Maize    

.  .  .    12.0 

1.4 

11.0 

3.0 

69.7 

2.3 

Feterita    .  .  . 

.  .  .    11.5 

1.3 

13.0 

2.0 

67.4 

2.7 

Wheat    

.  .  .     10.5 

1.8 

11.9 

l.S 

71.9 

2.1 

Millet    

.  .  .    12.1 

2.8 

10.9 

8.1 

62.6 

3.5 

Peas    

...    15.1 

2.4 

23.7 

7.9 

50.2 

0.8 

Peanuts    .  .  . 

...      7.5 

2.4 

27.9 

7.0 

15.6 

39.6 

Soy  Beans   , 

7.7 

5.7 

35.4 

4.6 

21.6 

20.3 

Sunflower   Seed      8.6 

2.6 

16.3 

29.9 

21.4 

21.2 

86  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


GRAINS  AND   SEEDS 


The  following  description  of  the  various  grains  and  seeds  fed 
to  pigeons  is  from  the  pen  of  J.  W.  Williamson,  tlie  noted  \\r^\ 
Cross  Grit  man  of  Glassboro,  N.  J.: 

Kafir  Corn 

Kafir  corn  is  becoming  quite  popular  with  squab  raisers,  and 
takes  the  place  of  Indian  corn  to  a  certain  extent.  While  its 
properties  are  not  equal  to  Indian  corn,  yet  at  the  same  time  it 
makes  a  nice  change,  and  is  not  a  great  deal  below  the  rich  fats 
and  protein  given  to  Indian  corn.  One  thing  in  its  favor  is,  it 
is  not  as  binding  as  Indian  corn,  or  as  loosening  to  the  bowels 
as  wheat.  For  pigeon  food  I  class  it  between  Indian  corn  and 
wheat. 

It  derives  its  name  from  a  South  African  tribe  known  as 
Kafirs,  not  Kaffir,  as  will  be  noticed  in  pigeon  literature. 

The  dictionaries,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Century,  for  example, 
gives  preference  to  the  single  "F."  Government  officials  after 
carefully  looking  the  matter  up  also  adopted  the  single  "F." 

It  was  first  grown  in  the  United  States  in  1886.  There  are  a 
great  many  varieties.  The  most  common  seen  in  the  markets 
are  the  white  and  red,  which  are  grown  all  over  the  United 
States  where  Indian  corn  is  raised.  The  most  of  it  is  raised  in 
the  western  states,  between  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Texas,  Oklahoma,  Kansas  and  Nebraska  produce 
more  of  it  than  other  states,  from  which  western  feed  merchants 
draw  their  supply.  Farmers  in  the  western  states  state  they 
can  grow  it  with  greater  success  than  Indian  corn,  as  it  stands 
the  blight  better.  There  is  little  difference  in  the  nourishing 
qualities  of  the  white  and  red,  but  the  latter  is  most  prolific. 
It  is  about  the  size  of  hem[)  seed  and  the  shape  is  round.  To 
our  customers  raising  their  own  feed,  we  will  cheerfully  give 
full  directions  how  to  raise  their  own  Kafir  corn,  or  any  other 
pigeon  food  grown  in  this  country.  Milo  Maize  and  Feterita 
are  about  the  same  as  Kafir  corn,  also  Egyptian  corn  which  is 
grown  in  California. 

Indian   Corn 

When  buying  corn  the  purchaser  usually  asks  for  yellow 
com,  or  Poor  Man's  com   (the  white  variety),  but  with  these 


FEEDS   AND   FEEDING  8? 

two  grains  there  is  over  273  yellow  varieties  and  217  of  the  white. 
For  feeding  animals  and  hirds  it  does  not  matter  very  much 
which  particular  variety  is  used  as  there  is  a  very  little  differ- 
ence in  the  amount  of  protein  and  fats.  The  yellow  varieties, 
however,  are  mostly  used.  The  corn  used  for  pigeons  should  he 
sifted  cracked  corn.  If  the  cracked  corn  is  not  sifted  there  is 
considerahle  waste  as  the  fine  meal  will  not  be  eaten  by  the 
birds. 

Wheat 

There  are  as  many  varieties  of  wheat  as  there  are  corn,  and 
in  purchasing  same,  you  are  apt  to  get  one  variety  one  time  and 
another  at  another,  and  yet  not  know  the  difference. 

In  fact,  it  makes  no  difference  as  far  as  feeding  is  concerned, 
but  a  wide  difference  in  being  prolific  and  profitable  to  the 
farmer.  Under  this  heading  all  tlie  varieties  will  be  classed  as 
two,  the  same  as  the  Kafir  corn,  red  and  white,  but  the  latter 
wheat  shovdd  not  be  used  as  pigeon  food  regularly.  When  it 
is  used,  mix  in  other  hard  grain;  also,  when  using  new  red 
wheat,  mix  in  hard  grain  and  watch  the  squabs.  If  too  loosening 
to  the  bowels  reduce  the  amount.  Rice  will  be  found  very  good 
to  feed  along  with  new  grain. 

Wheat  Screenings 

These  are  very  good,  providing  you  can  secure  good  screen- 
ings. If  you  can  you  will  find  them  a  most  excellent  pigeon 
food;  containing  besides  wheat,  various  other  grains  and  seed, 
which  are  very  healthful  for  pigeons,  but  avoid  poor  quality. 

Scorched  Wheat 

This  should  never  be  fed  to  i)igcons.  At  present  there  seems 
to  be  a  great  many  poultry  men  buying  it  from  the  Baltimore 
market— some  dealers  in  wheat  also  mix  it  with  good  wheat 
that  is  being  sold  as  poultry  feed.  When  buying  wheat  make 
your  purchases  from  the  mill— the  farmei*,  or  reliable  supply 
houses. 

Peas 

There  are  quite  a  number  of  varieties  of  peas.  Pigeons  will 
eat  most  any  variety  but  Canada  peas  are  by  far  the  best  regu- 
lar food  for  pigeons.    They  are  a  very  small  pea,  being  perfectly 


88  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

round  and  smooth,  of  a  light  yellow  color,  and  always  very  hard, 
and  can  be  used  shortly  after  taken  from  the  vine.  Pigeons  de- 
light in  eating  them,  and  bring  their  squabs  along  in  fine  condi- 
tion. They  are  grown  the  same  as  the  ordinary  garden  pea. 
They  can  be  grown  anywhere  the  garden  peas  are  grown  and 
even  in  colder  climate  than  the  garden  peas  will  stand. 
What  is  known  as  Cow^  peas  or  blackeyed  peas  is  also  a  splendid 
pigeon  food  and  often  are  much  cheaper  than  Canada  peas. 

Rice 

There  are  over  160  varieties  of  rice.  It  is  an  excellent  food 
for  pigeons,  to  be  fed  with  wheat.  It  is  raised  principally  in 
the  southern  states,  where  rice  can  be  purchased  at  a  reasonable 
price.  A  great  deal  of  it  can  be  used  for  feed,  especially  where 
lots  can  be  bought  that  have  a  little  chaff  in,  and  not  suitable 
for  table  use.  Pigeons  do  not  take  to  it  at  once  but  after  a  few 
meals  take  to  it  more  readily. 

Oats 

Oats  are  very  nourishing  and  preferable  even  to  peas.  The 
price  is  the  main  drawback  in  using  them,  but  when  they  can 
be  secured  at  a  reasonable  price,  they  should  be  fed  as  nothing 
will  bring  along  squabs  as  rapidly  as  hulled  oats.  Oats  that 
are  not  hulled  should  never  be  fed. 

Barley 

Those  that  do  use  it  with  hulls  on  do  so  merely  because  it  is 
cheap,  but  cheap  foods  should  not  play  a  part  in  squab  raising, 
as  it  means  cheap  squabs. 

Buckwheat 

Buckwheat,  either  the  dark  brown,  or  gray,  is  used  by  many 
squab  raisers,  but  it  should  not  be  fed  in  large  quantities,  and 
not  much  of  it  in  summer,  as  it  is  very  heating.  Mix  it  with 
wheat,  as  if  mixed  with  corn,  both  grains  being  very  heating 
will  be  found  to  give  bad  results.  It  is  a  good,  hard  grain  and  is 
excellent  to  mix  with  white  wheat  or  new  red  wheat,  when  the 
old  wheat  happens  to  be  scarce. 


FEEDS    AND   FEEDING  89 

Hemp 

Hemp  seed  is  very  fattening  and  stimulating,  and  should  not 
be  used  separately.  The  best  variety  is  the  Russian  Hemp. 
Birds  are  very  fond  of  it,  but  should  not  be  fed  too  much  of  it. 
It  is  excellent  during  the  molting  season. 

Sunflower  Seed 

This  also  should  be  used  the  same  as  hemp;  it  is  even  richer 
in  protein  than  hemp.  A  small  amount  goes  a  great  ways. 
Birds  do  not  like  it  as  readily  as  they  do  hemp.  It  is  excellent 
during  the  molt  and  gives  a  good  lustre  to  the  feathers,  and  is 
an  aid  in  shedding  the  old  ones. 

Millet 

Millet  is  used  as  a  stimulant  as  birds  breed  better  when  a 
small  amount  is  used  with  other  food.  There  are  a  great  many 
varieties.'  It  is  used  very  extensively  as  human  food  in  Japan, 
India  and  China.  It  is  grown  all  over  the  United  States,  the 
most  of  it  in  states  west  of  the  Mississippi.    It  is  sown  broadcast. 

Golden  Wonder  Millet  (teniied  by  some,  German  Millet),  is 
the  variety  used  mostly  in  squab  production,  but  all  varieties 
are  used. 

Rape 

Rape  seed  is  a  very  small  round  brown  seed,  somewhat  the 
size  of  millet.    Pigeons  are  very  fond  of  it.  It  is  used  as  a  dainty. 

Lentils  and  Vetches 

Lentils  and  Vetches  are  somewhat  similar,  and  grow  like  peas. 
The  former  is  mostly  used  in  soups  for  flavoring.  The  pods 
only  contain  two  flat  round  seeds.  The  lentils  are  mostly  im- 
ported, but  some  are  grown  in  Arizona  and  Mexico.  They  are 
steep  in  price  and  are  only  used  as  dainties  for  squab  raising. 
We  seldom  use  any. 

FEEDING  BREAD  TO  PIGEONS 

There  is  little  or  no  advantage  to  be  gained  by  feeding  bread 
to  pigeons  except  from  a  standpoint  of  economy. 
Most  bakeries,  especially  the  large  ones,  have  stale  or  unsold 


90  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

bread  which  they  will  eell  at  a  bargain.  One  or  two  cents  a 
loaf  is  the  usual  price  this  bread  is  sold  for,  but  often  it  can  be 
contracted  for  at  a  cheaper  rate. 

If  bread  can  be  secured  at  about  that  price  it  can  be  fed  to  an 
advantage  along  with  the  regular  feed  or  grains.  Pigeons  will 
not  eat  bread  until  they  become  accustomed  to  it  and  then  only 
a  limited  amount.  The  best  way  to  feed  bread  is  to  slice  it  up 
and  let  the  birds  pick  the  i^oft  centers  out  of  each  slice,  then 
gather  up  the  pieces,  put  them  in  a  pan  of  some  kind  and  pour 
a  little  water  on  to  soften  the  crusts.  Let  the  pans  of  bread 
remain  in  the  lofts  for  about  an  hour  and  then  remove  them. 
Throw  away  the  uneaten  bread  as  it  will  sour  if  left  standing, 
especially  in  warm  weather.  Care  should  be  taken  to  give  the 
birds  no  more  than  they  will  eat  and  in  this  way  avoid  wasting 
the  bread. 

At  first  birds  will  cat  but  a  vcmv  little  bread,  but  the  amount 
can  be  increah^ed  by  feeding  them  when  hungry. 

If  you  cannot  secure  bread  for  less  than  grain  costs  you  per 
pound  it  is  not  worth  wnile  to  fe^'d  it.  A  litth*  bread  however, 
is  not  a  bad  thing  and  can  be  given  pigeons  occasionally  as  a 
change  from  a  regular  diet  anel  in  this  way  prove  beneficial 
even  though  it  costs  as  much  as  grain.  At  any  rate,  birds  should 
be  taught  to  eat  bread  and  thus  prepare  for  occasions  when  it 
might  be  necessary  to  feed  it  to  them. 

WHAT  PIGEON  MILK  IS 

Young  seiuabs  luuler  three  or  four  days  old  receive  no  grain 
fi'om  their  parents.  Their  food  consists  of  what  is  known  as 
pigeon  milk,  a  gruel  substance  which  forms  in  the  crops  of  both 
the  male  and  female,  about  15  or  16  days  after  they  start  setting. 
It  takes  17  days  for  pige^on  eggs  to  hatch  and  by  this  time  both 
parents  are  provided  with  this  so-called  pigeon  milk  with  which 
to  feed  the  squabs.  Nature  provides  this  pigeon  milk  for  the 
reason  that  very  young  seiuabs  are  too  elelicate  to  receive  solid 
food.  The  male  accumulates  the  gruel  or  pigeon  milk  in  the 
crops  by  the  little  time  he  sets  on  the  nest  in  the  middle  of  each 
day  and  the  female  accimiulates  it  by  a  longer  daily  period  of 
retting.  When  sepiabs  begin  to  get  old  enough  to  receive  grain 
tiie  i)arents  eat  smaller  grain  before  feeding  their  young,  and 
as  the  sejuabs  grow^  the  parent  l)ird  will  eat  larger  grains. 


FEEDS   AND   FEEDING  ^1 

At  10  days  old  an  average  squab  can  receive  whole  grains  of 
corn  with  no  inconvenience;  and  right  here  I  might  add  there 
is  no  danger  of  sqnabs  becoming  choked  on  whole  grains  or  corn 
for  the  reason  that  if  the  space  between  the  beak  is  large  enough 
for  the  grain  to  enter  it  will  pass  into  the  throat  and  into  their 
crops  without  difficulty. 

If  you  have  an  opportunity  some  time  I  would  suggest  that 
you  take  a  young  squab  a  week  or  10  days  old  and  for  you!^ 
own  curiosity  put  two  or  three  grains  of  corn  into  its  mouth 
at  once  and  you  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  easily  they  will 
slip  down  its  throat. 

THE  HIGH  COST  OF  FEED 

I  have  received  a  large  number  of  letters  and  have  been 
asked  often  if  squabs  can  be  raised  profitably  since  the  world 
war  has  increased  the  price  of  grain  so  greatly.  The  answer  is, 
yes,  provided  one  studies  the  feed  situation  and  takes  advantage 
of  the  local  conditions  by  feeding  more  freely  of  the  grain  that 
is  the  cheapest  in  his  section,  but  at  the  same  time  he  must 
know  enough  about  the  values  of  different  seeds  and  grain  to 
enable  him  to  feed  a  balanced  ration. 

Prof.  Frank  C.  Hare  writing  for  the  American  Pigeon  Journal, 
very  ably  covers  this  question.  He  states,  "The  present  high 
prices  of  food  stuffs  make  it  imperative  for  most  of  us  to  study 
the  feeding  question  more  thoroughly  than  under  normal  price 
conditions,  when  we  can  buy  at  a  reasonable  cost  almost  any 
mixture  of  grains  we  fancy.  We  have  reached  the  point  where 
we  would  like  to  use  some  of  the  home  grown  grains  that  are 
cheaper  than  the  imported  grains  we  formerly  fed  and  we  want 
information  about  compounding  a  pigeon  feed  at  home  that  will 
maintain  the  production  of  squabs  and  the  health  of  breeders."' 

Bear  in  mind  that  pigeons  are  more  or  less  like  children  and 
are  apt  to  eat  too  much  of  things  that  are  not  the  best  for  them. 
Too  much  hemp  for  instance,  is  not  good  for  pigeons  yet  they 
will  eat  as  much  as  they  can  get  and  hold.  But  as  between 
com,  wheat  and  other  staple  grains  their  likes  and  dislike:! 
should  be  considered  when  same  does  not  interfere  too  much 
with  the  cost  of  feed. 


CHAPTER  VI 
GRIT,  CHARCOAL,  SALT  AND  WATER 

GRIT,  SAND  AND  GRAVEL 

There  are  several  different  kinds  of  grit  on  the  market  for 
pigeons  composed  of  various  substances  and  combination  of 
substances.  Birds  that  fly  at  liberty  have  an  opportunity  to 
pick  up  many  things  in  the  wsiy  of  sand,  gravel,  different  kinds 
or  dirt,  roots,  etc.,  all  of  which  come  under  the  head  of  grit,  or 
at  least  they  are  eaten  by  birds  for  that  purpose. 

The  small  gravel,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  is  eaten  and  re- 
tained in  their  gizzards  as  a  part  of  their  digestive  organs  with 
which  the  food  is  ground,  while  dry  sand,  clay,  roots  and  even 
pieces  of  wood  are  eaten  for  the  chemical  substances  and  food 
values  contained  therein. 

These  two  forms  of  grit  are  often  confused  to  the  extent  that 
sometimes  one  is  entirely  neglected  with  the  idea  that  the  other 
will  take  its  place.  Small  gravel  or  various  shapes  of  small, 
sharp  stones  cannot  be  dispensed  with  for  reasons  just  stated, 
while  the  other  substances  mentioned  can  be  substituted  with 
various  other  articles. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  health  grit  manufactured  and  sold 
that  contain  many  of  these  different  articles,  including  salt, 
sand,  Venetian  red,  small  shells,  charcoal,  wood  pulp  and  certain 
kinds  of  dirt  that  are  relished  more  or  less  by  pigeons  and  are 
probably  very  good  for  them,  but  are  often  eaten  only  because 
the  birds  crave  salt  and  the  so-called  health  grit  is  generally 
salty.  In  such  cases  I  do  not  believe  the  birds  are  benefited 
but  are  injured  by  having  to  eat  articles  they  do  not  want  in 
order  to  get  the  salt  they  crave. 

If  the  fly  pen  is  kept  strewn  with  flne  gravel  or  coarse  sand 
and  a  supply  of  it  kept  inside  of  the  nest  room  for  the  young 

92 


GRIT,  CHARCOAL,  SALT  AND  WATER  93' 

birds,  and  to  be  accessible  when  snow  is  on  the  ground,  other 
forms  of  grit  may  not  be  essential,  but  I  can  see  no  harm  in 
manufactured  health  grits  as  long  as  the  birds  are  furnished 
with  plenty  of  salt  so  that  they  will  not  be  forced  to  eat  these 
substances  in  order  to  get  what  they  want. 

Some  very  successful  breeders  supply  their  birds  with  differ- 
ent kinds  of  dirt  and  sand  and  by  a  little  experimenting  they 
find  just  which  of  these  articles  contain  what  their  birds  like. 

The  soil  in  different  sections  of  the  country  contains  different 
chemical  properties.  You  might  be  surprised  to  see  pigeons 
eating  a  certain  kind  of  dirt;  if  you  knew  the  chemical  proper- 
ties of  this  certain  kind  of  dirt  you  would  more  nearly  under- 
stand why  they  eat  it.  A  piece  of  plowed  up  sod  placed  upside 
down  in  a  fly  pen  will  often  furnish  the  birds  a  feast  in  regards 
to  dirt,  grass  roots  and  other  substances  which  you  might  not' 
know  was  there. 

Certain  kinds  of  old  plaster  and  mortar  will  be  eaten  with 
relish  by  birds  that  are  confined  to  fly  pens. 

As  a  final  suggestion,  therefore,  1  would  recommend  that  birds 
be  given  plenty  of  such  articles  which  can  be  found  in  most  any 
community  and  are  inexpensive.  If  they  do  not  eat  one  they  will 
probably  eat  another,  and  anything  they  eat,  even  in  very  small 
amounts  along  this  line,  will  prove  very  beneficial  to  their 
health,  as  nature  seems  to  guide  them  in  this  respect. 

CHARCOAL 

While  charcoal  is  probably  not  necessary  to  the  life  of  a  pigeon, 
it  is  a  very  healthy  product  and  should  be  kept  constantly  before 
the  birds.  Charcoal  can  be  secured  in  most  any  poultry  supply 
house  and  comes  in  three  sizes,  fine,  medium  and  coarse.  The 
medium  size  is  the  best  as  the  birds  will  not  eat  the  charcoal 
dust  and  the  coarse  size  is  too  large  for  them  to  swallow. 

Charcoal  aids  digestion,  absorbs  the  impurities  that  birds 
might  get  in  feed  or  water  and  contains  other  health  giving 
properties.  It  should  be  kept  in  small  jars  in  the  middle  of  the 
nest  room  or  in  a  grit  hopper  as  described  elsewhere  under  that 
heading. 

Charcoal  is  an  extra  good  remedy  for  bowel  trouble  of  different 
forms  and  is  especially  good  to  feed  the  old  birds  when  young 
ones  show  a  loosness  of  the  bowels. 


94  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

In  order  to  get  birds  to  eat  an  extra  supply  of  charcoal  mix 
salt  with  it  or  pour  salt  water  over  the  charcoal.  Sometimes 
it  is  necessary  to  take  other  forms  of  salt  away  from  the  birds 
for  a  day  or  two  in  order  to  make  them  eat  the  salt  and  charcoal 
mixture.  This  is  only  necessary,  however,  in  extreme  cases  of 
bowel  trouble.  The  same  charcoal  and  salt  mixture  should  be 
kept  before  the  young  birds  during  weaning  time  and  for  a  few 
weeks  after  the  old  birds  have  stopped  feeding  them. 

In  dry  weather  it  is  not  a  bad  plan  to  throw  a  few  handfuls 
of  charcoal  in  the  fly  pens,  as  birds  seem  to  enjoy  picking  it 
up,  but  this  is  a  wasteful  method  in  wet  or  bad  weather. 

OYSTER  SHELL 

Pigeons  require  a  certain  percentage  of  lime  substances  to 
keep  them  healthy.  Their  systems  require  the  consumption  of 
lime  in  certain  seasons  of  the  year  and  under  certain  conditions 
more  than  at  other  times.  The  female,  however,  requires  more 
lime  than  the  male  as  she  needs  it  for  the  manufacture  of  egg 
shell.  Lime  for  this  purpose  must  be  supplied  in  the  form  of 
shells  or  certain  lime  stone.  Oyster  shell  is  probably  the  best, 
most  convenient  and  usually  the  cheapest  lime  containing  sub- 
stance and  the  one  that  the  birds  seem  to  like  the  best.  Clam 
shells  will  do,  but  are  not  as  good.  Small  sea  shells  are  extra 
fine. 

Do  not  confuse  your  oyster  shell  with  grit,  however.  Birds 
need  grit  with  which  to  grind  their  food,  and  lime-containing 
substances  do  not  serve  this  purpose.  Mediumly  crushed  oyster 
shell  should  be  kept  before  the  birds  at  all  times.  It  can  gener- 
ally be  secured  in  three  sizes,  fine,  medium  and  coarse,  at 
poultry  supply  houses.  The  coarse  is  too  large  and  cannot  be 
swallowed  by  pigeons.  The  fine  is  so  small  that  there  is  a 
lot  of  waste  to  it  as  pigeons  will  not  eat  the  dust.  Hence,  the 
medium  is  the  practicable  size  for  pigeons. 

The  best  way  to  supply  oyster  shell  is  in  a  small  receptacle 
placed  in  the  middle  of  the  nest  room  or  in  a  grit  hopper  as  is 
described  elsewhere  under  that  head. 

SALT 

People  who  are  not  familiar  with  the  habits  of  pigeons  are 
surprised  to  learn  that  they  eat  salt,  and  especially  when  they 


GRIT,  CHARCOAL.  SALT  AND  WATER  95 

learn  that  they  eat  it  in  quantities.  They  require  a  certain 
amount  of  salt  daily  and  it  should  be  kept  before  them  at  all 
times.  Do  not  give  in  loose  form  to  birds  that  might  be  hungry 
for  some,  as  in  such  cases  they  are  liable  to  eat  too  much,  which 
will  make  them  sick  or  even  kill  them. 

A  bird  that  is  getting  all  the  salt  it  wants,  however,  will  not 
eat  too  much  even  if  fed  to  it  in  loose  form.  Some  people  advo- 
cate the  feeding  of  rock  salt  in  large  lumps.  Personally  I  do  not 
favor  this  plan.  It  is  very  hard  for  the  birds  to  get  the  amount 
they  desire  unless  the  salt  is  wet  and  sometimes  then  they  get 
it  in  too  large  quantities.  If  a  rock  of  salt  is  placed  out  in  the 
fly  pen  in  rainy  weather,  salty  water  will  run  into  the  ground 
and  birds  in  order  to  satisfy  their  appetites  will  eat  the  salty 
dirt  which  often  is  foul  and  very  injurious  to  them. 

About  the  best  way  to  supply  salt  is  to  artificially  rock  table 
salt,  which  can  be  done  by  first  moistening  and  then  baking  it 
in  a  slow  oven  just  as  it  comes  in  the  sack.  By  tying  a  string 
around  the  center  of  the  sack,  forcing  the  salt  to  each  end,  it 
will  turn  to  rock  easier.  These  sacks  should  be  put  in  the  nest 
rooms  just  as  they  are  and  the  birds  can  get  what  salt  they 
need  by  picking  right  through  the  cloth.  They  will  soon  pick 
holes  through  the  sack  and  can  then  easily  get  plenty  of  salt. 
The  cloth  will  help  to  hold  the  lump  together  and  keep  it  from 
getting  fouled  or  wasted. 

If  after  dampening  the  bag  of  salt  and  drying  it  out  in  the 
oven  it  does  not  seem  firm  enough,  dampen  it  again  a  little  and 
bake  it  some  more.  The  hotter  the  oven  the  quicker  the  results 
to  a  degree  that  it  does  not  burn  the  sack.  Homemade  sacks 
filled  with  barrel  salt  will  answer  the  same  purpose. 

SULPHATE    OF   IRON   ' 

Pigeons  require  a  certain  amount  of  iron  in  their  systems. 
In  some  communities  there  is  plenty  of  iron  in  the  waier  thai 
they  drink,  while  m  others,  on  account  of  there  being  little  oi- 
no  iron  in  the  water,  it  is  necessary  to  supp-y  tame  either  in  the 
form  of  Venetian  red  or  by  putting  old  nails  or  iron  in  their 
dringing  water  to  rusi. 

It  is  rather  difficult  to  know  just  what  action  to  take  in  this 
matter  without  knowing  the   chemical   analysis  of  the  water 


96  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

supply  where  the  birds  are  kept.  To  a  large  extent,  therefore 
you  will  have  to  do  your  owi.  experimenting  and  be  your  own 
judge  as  to  this,  remembering  that  a  little  iron  is  necessary 
and  that  the  birds  will  not  eat  moio  than  Ihey  really  need^unless 
forced  to  do  so  through  thirst  or  for  the  wan:  of  salt  which  some 
breeders  mix  with  Venetian  red,  tlius  forcing  their  ijjrds  to  eat 
more  of  one  article  than  they  want  in  order  to  get  a  sufficient 
amount  of  the  other. 

DRINKING  WATER  FOR  PIGEONS 

Plenty  of  fresh  water  is  one  of  the  essentials  of  successful 
pigeon  raising.  One  pigeon  will  drink  more  water  than  two  or 
three  large  hens.  The  water  must  be  clean,  otherwise  it  is  apt 
to  cause  canker  or  other  sickness,  especially  so  if  birds  are 
confined  to  fly  pens.  Pigeons  that  fly  out  are  not  as  susceptible 
to  canker  as  those  that  are  kept  penned  up.  Even  cleaa  water 
that  stands  in  the  nest  room  all  night  where  there  are  a  lot  of 
birds  is  not  good  for  them  to  drink,  as  it  will  draw  a  lot 
of  impurities  out  of  the  air  and  is  more  or  less  foul.  I  have 
visited  a  large  number  of  squab  plants  where  sm-ail  drinking 
fountains  are  used  and  invariably  found  sick  birds.  Such 
fountains  ought  to  be  filled  two  or  three  times  a  day  in  order 
to  supply  a  sufficient  amount  of  fresh  water,  but  better  still 
a  more  suitable  plan  of  furnishing  water  supplied.  Many  plants 
are  so  arranged  that  the  water  has  to  be  carried  some  distance 
and  one  door  after  another  be  opened  and  closed,  going  to  and 
from  the  different  units  with  pails  of  water.  A  few  hours'  work 
on  a  water  system  will  save  several  weeks  time  in  a  year. 
It  will  furnish  fresh  water  constantly  and  be  better  in  many 
ways.  Even  with  a  small  number  of  birds  a  water  system  is  a 
great  advantage. 

Young  squabs  must  have  plenty  of  water  if  they  are  kept  in 
good  shape.  In  fact,  water  seems  to  have  as  much  to  do  with 
their  putting  on  lots  of  fat  and  growing  rapidly  as  does  feed. 

In  addition  to  a  drinking  trough  in  the  fly  pen,  a  drinking 
trough  should  be  run  through  the  squab  house,  or  along  the 
back  of  same  with  openings  cut  through  so  that  the  birds  can 
get  to  the  trough.  If  running  water  or  city  water  is  accessible 
one  faucet  will  supply  a  whole  row  of  units  with  fresh  drinking 
water,  a  barrel  can  be  used  with  a  dripping  faucet  to  furnish 


GRIT,  CHARCOAL,  SALT  .AND  WATER  97 

a  supply  of  running  water  constantly.  In  freezing  weather 
water  can  be  turned  on  twice  or  three  times  a  day  for  a  short 
length  of  time  while  all  the  birds  drink,  and  if  it  should  freeze 
it  can  be  thawed  out  by  pouring  a  little  hot  water  in  the  trough. 
By  making  this  drinking  trough  V-shaped  the  birds  can  drink 
with  only  a  small  amount  of  water  in  the  bottom  of  the  trough, 
while  if  the  trough  is  made  with  a  fiat  bottom  it  will  require 
much  more  water  to  make  it  deep  enough  for  the  birds  to  drink, 
which  will  make  it  freeze  easier  and  also  consume  much  more 
water. 

Open  drinking  pans  or  troughs  that  permit  birds  to  get  into 
or  perch  on  the  sides  of  are  not  practical  for  pigeons,  as  they 
will  foul  the  water  and  then  drink  it,  which  will  make  them 
sick.  Drinking  fountains  that  are  made  with  a  dent  at  the 
bottom  are  the  most  practical  for  pigeons  in  the  absence  of  a 
drinking  trough,  but  even  if  you  have  only  two  or  three  pair 
of  birds  it  is  but  little  trouble  to  make  a  small  three-cornered 
V-shaped  drinking  trough  to  run  along  one  side  of  the  nest  room, 
and  either  arrange  faucets  with  city  water  or  a  keg  with  a  faucet 
that  can  be  filled  up  once  or  twice  a  week  and  the  faucet  turned 
on  so  it  will  drip  slowly  into  the  trough.  This  will  supply  fresh 
water  constantly  and  save  much  more  trouble  and  time  than 
will  be  required  to  make  the  trough  and  arrange  the  keg.  If 
the  trough  is  placed  inside  of  the  nest  room  it  should  have  a 
board  cover  with  about  two-inch  space  between  the  board  and 
the  trough  which  will  permit  the  birds  to  drink  and  at  the  same 
time  prevent  them  from  fouling  the  water. 

By  supplying  drinking  water  inside  the  loft,  as  well  as  in  the 
fly  pen,  it  will  enable  the  youngsters  on  the  floor  to  get  plenty 
to  drink  before  they  are  old  enough  to  get  in  the  fly  pen,  which 
is  very  essential.  It  will  also  enable  a  female  to  fly  down  off 
her  nest  any  time  during  the  day  and  get  a  fresh  drink  while  if 
the  water  was  out  in  the  fly  pen  she  would  not  want  to  leave 
her  nest  long  enough  to  get  a  drink.  Then,  too,  during  feeding 
time  the  birds  often  are  afraid  to  spare  the  time  to  fly  out  in  the 
fly  pen  to  get  water  after  they  have  eaten,  so  fly  to  the  nest  and 
feed  their  young  and  then  fly  back  to  get  something  more  to  eat 
before  it  is  all  gone,  while  if  the  water  is  handy  inside  the  loft 
they  will  invariably  take  a  drink  before  feeding  their  squabs, 
which  is  the  natural  and  proper  way  for  them  to  do. 


98  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

Remember  that  plenty  of  good  fresh  water  is  one  of  the  nec- 
essary things  in  pigeon  raising,  and  a  little  time  spent  in  ar- 
ranging a  watering  and  bathing  system  will  save  hours  of 
time  in  the  long  run  and  assure  better  success. 

BATHING 

Pigeons  of  all  kinds  require  a  bath  once  or  twice  a  week.  In 
extremely  cold  weather  they  will  not  bathe  except  on  bright 
and  sunshine  days.  In  spring  and  fall  they  should  have  a  bath 
once  a  week  and  during  the  hottest  weather  twice  or  three  times 
a  week,  depending  on  the  condition  of  the  weather.  Pigeons 
like  to  bathe  on  dry,  sunny  days  so  they  can  dry  their  feathers 
easily. 

Some  people  say  that  pigeons  bathe  every  day,  but  upon 
investigation  they  will  find  that  the  same  bird  will  not  bathe 
every  day,  but  some  birds  will  bathe  one  day  and  others  another, 
and  it  might  seem,  therefore,  that  the  majority  of  the  birds  in 
a  pen  would  bathe  every  day,  but  such  is  not  the  case.  To 
supply  a  daily  bath  is  not  necessary. 

Bathing  water  should  not  stand  before  the  birds  very  long 
after  they  bathe  in  it  for  it  will  become  too  foul  to  drink,  and  as 
birds  like  to  drink  out  in  the  fly  pen  or  wherever  they  happen 
to  be,  they  will  drink  the  foul  water  which  is  apt  to  make 
them  sick.  Warm  water  is  also  not  good  for  the  birds  to  drink 
in  hot  weather,  as  it  is  likely  to  cause  sour  craw.  Warm  water 
in  the  winter  time,  however,  is  good  for  them.  Bath  water 
should  be  provided  regularly  once  or  twice  a  week  according 
to  the  season  of  the  year.  Between  12  and  2  o'clock  are  good 
hours  for  bathing,  provided  the  sun  shines.  It  is  never  advisable 
to  supply  pigeons  with  a  bath  late  in  the  day  as  they  will  not 
have  time  to  dry  their  feathers  before  night  and  are  apt  to  catch 
cold  if  they  go  to  roost  with  wet  feathers. 

Bathing  Troughs 

I  have  found  that  the  average  squab  raiser  loses  considerable 
time  carrying  water  and  arranging  for  baths  for  birds.  The 
most  common  plan  is  to  have  a  bath  pan  12  to  16  inches  across 
and  four  or  five  inches  deep  which  they  set  inside  of  the  fly 
pen  and  carry  water  by  hand  to  fill.    The  pan  is  invariably  not 


GRIT,  CHARCOAL,  SALT  AND  WATER  99 

large  enough  for  many  birds  to  bathe  at  the  same  time.  They 
will  all  try  to  get  in  at  once  and  by  their  fluttering  and  anxiety 
to  bathe  waste  a  lot  of  the  water  and  in  a  few  minutes  there 
is  not  enough  left  for  a  bird  to  bathe  in.  The  water  is  usually 
dirty  on  account  of  being  splashed  over  on  the  mud  around  the 
pan  and  birds  walking  in  the  mud  get  their  feet  muddy  and 
then  climb  into  the  pan.  Such  an  arrangement  takes  lots  of 
work  and  only  furnishes  a  poor  bath. 

By  a  little  work  a  bath  trough  can  be  made  five  inches  deep, 
ten  inches  wide  and  several  feet  long.  See  article  on  "How 
to  Build  a  Bath  Trough."  The  trough  should  be  placed  just 
outside  of  the  fly  pen  with  a  gate  to  open  up  on  bath  days. 
The  birds  can  get  to  the  bath  only  when  the  gate  is  open  and 
with  a  little  work  a  drinking  trough  can  be  made  in  connection 
with  the  bath  trough  which  will  permit  the  birds  to  drink  when 
the  gate  is  down.  If  there  is  more  than  one  unit  or  fly  pen  a 
single  trough  can  be  extended  along  in  front  of  several  units 
and  one  faucet  supplies  the  water  for  the  entire  group  of  pens. 

As  a  rule  considerable  time  is  wasted  in  opening  gates  and 
doors  to  get  into  the  fly  pens  or  nest  houses  to  furnish  water 
for  drinking  or  bathing  purposes,  but  with  this  arrangement  the 
drinking  and  bathing  trough  is  on  the  outside  of  the  fly  pen  and 
is  easily  accessible  for  filling,  emptying  and  cleaning. 

In  the  winter  time,  in  a  northern  climate,  an  outside  trough 
cannot  be  used  regularly,  but  on  especially  warm  and  sunshine 
days,  when  the  water  is  not  freezing,  the  outside  bath  trough 
can  be  filled  for  an  hour  or  so  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  and 
then  as  soon  as  the  birds  have  their  bath  the  water  can  be  let 
out.  Birds  that  have  eggs  or  very  small  young  will  not  bathe 
except  on  extremely  hot  days.  Therefore,  a  trough  as  above 
mentioned  would  be  ample  for  all  the  birds  that  wanted  to 
bathe  at  one  time  and  will  furnish  each  of  them  a  fresh  clean 
bath. 

If  city  or  running  water  is  not  available  a  hose  can  be  attached 
to  a  pump  for  the  purpose  of  filling  the  bath  troughs,  or  a  barrel 
can  be  used  on  a  slide  either  pulled  by  hand  or  by  a  horse. 
This,  of  course,  depends  upon  the  distance  the  water  is  to  be 
carried.  Even  if  you  only  have  a  very  few  pair  of  squab 
breeders  it  will  pay  to  arrange  a  trough  on  the  outside  of  the 
fly  pen  for  bathing  purposes.    Of  course,  in  such  a  case  a  trough 


100  AMERICAN    SQUAB     CULTURE 

a  couple  or  so  feet  long  would  be  sufficient.  But  if  it  is  your 
intention  to  eventually  increase  your  flock  it  would  be  saving 
time  to  make  a  large  trough  at  the  start.  These  troughs  should 
be  made  out  of  galvanized  iron,  cement  or  wood.  If  made  of 
wood,  they  must  be  coated  inside  with  asphalt  or  tar  to  keep 
from  leaking.  If  tar  is  used  it  should  be  put  on  hot,  which  will 
make  it  spread  easier.  If  there  are  any  large  cracks  or  holes 
in  the  trough  they  should  be  plugged  up  and  a  couple  of  extra 
coats  of  tar  applied  to  the  holes  or  cracks  and  allowed  to  dry 
before  the  trough  is  given  a  final  coating. 


CHAPTER  VII 
CARE  or  PENS,  BANDING,  NESTING  MATERIAL 

CARE   OF   SQUAB   PLANT 

It  is  not  necessary  to  keep  a  pigeon  plant  clean  to  an  extreme, 
but  each  nest  should  be  cleaned  out  when  vacated  by  squabs 
or  while  the  squabs  are  still  occupying  the  nest  if  they  appear 
to  be  exceptionally  dirty.  If  the  Eggleston  double  nest  system 
is  used  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  clean  the  nest  by  removing  the 
dirty  nest  bottom  and  replacing  it  with  a  fresh  one.  If  the  nest 
contains  squabs,  a  small  handful  of  clean  nesting  material 
should  be  put  in  first  and  the  squabs  put  on  top  of  it. 

It  is  not  a  good  plan  to  clean  the  nests  before  squabs  are  two 
or  three  weeks  old.  If  they  are  exceptionally  dirty  you  should 
change  your  feed.  Each  nest  room  should  have  a  thorough 
cleaning  about  once  a  month,  including  the  sweeping  of  the 
floor  and  sprinkling  it  with  air-slacked  lime.  If  you  have  a 
ground,  cement  or  cold  floor  it  is  not  a  bad  idea  to  cover  the 
floor  with  a  mixture  of  lime  and  sawdust,  mostly  sawdust,  and 
just  enough  lime  to  make  it  clean  and  fresh. 

A  good  plan  with  a  large  plant  is  to  do  your  cleaning  by 
degrees,  that  is,  to  clean  so  many  lofts  every  day,  so  that  the 
time  will  not  be  missed  and  you  will  get  to  each  loft  every 
month.  Of  course,  if  you  have  special  help  for  that  purpose  to 
come  on  certain  days  it  would  not  be  practical  to  have  them 
come  more  than  once  or  twice  a  week,  which  naturally  depends 
upon  the  size  of  your  plant  and  the  capacity  of  your  help. 

Some  of  the  most  practical  squab  breeders  never  have  a  gen- 
eral cleaning  day.  They  keep  house  on  the  same  plan  as  a 
good  housekeeper  by  keeping  everything  in  order,  cleaning  the 
dirtiest  nests  as  they  need  them  and  sweeping  out  the  plant 
most  every  day,  and  in  this  way  they  do  not  miss  the  time 
and  the  plant  is  always  clean  and  orderly. 

101 


102  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

CARE  OF  FLY  PENS 

The  ground  in  the  fly  pen  should  be  covered  with  coarse  sand 
or  gravel  and  then  about  once  a  week  throw  a  couple  of  shovels 
of  fresh  sand  or  fine  gravel  in  each  fly  pen.  This  will  keep  the 
pens  clean  and  also  furnish  gravel  for  the  birds  to  eat.  Of 
course,  in  time  the  pens  will  flll  up  and  will  have  to  be  cleaned 
out.  A  good  cleaning  once  a  year,  however,  is  all  that  is  nec- 
essary. The  dirt  mixed  with  sand  and  droppings  that  come 
from  the  bottom  of  a  pigeon  fly  pen  makes  the  best  kind  of  soil 
for  flowers  or  gardening.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to  get  the 
soil  too  rich. 

Pigeons  will  not  scratch  like  chickens,  hence  will  not  dig  up 
fresh  gravel  in  the  fly  pen,  so  the  gravel  must  be  freshened  up 
by  throwing  in  a  little  fresh  every  few  days.  This  will  also 
keep  the  pen  clean  and  sanitary. 

HOW   TO   BAND 

Small  bands  or  rings  are  placed  on  the  legs  of  pigeons  as  a 
mark  of  distinction  or  identification  for  several  reasons,  namely, 
to  keep  a  record  as  to  the  age  and  parents  of  a  bird;  to  be  able 
to  tell  which  birds  are  mated  and  to  be  able  to  tell  what  pen 
a  bird  is  out  of  and  to  be  able  to  readily  distinguish  male  from 
female. 

The  age  of  the  bird  is  told  by  the  date  on  what  is  called  the 
year  band.  These  are  small  narrow  seamless  bands  and  are 
made  so  small  around  that  they  cannot  slip  on  or  off  an  old 
bird's  foot.  They  can  be  put  on  young  birds  only  in  the  nest 
about  two  to  three  weeks  old.  When  they  are  older  than  three 
weeks  their  feet  joints  are  so  large  seamless  bands  will  not 
slip  on.  These  bands,  however,  are  large  enough  to  allow  plenty 
of  room  for  the  growth  of  a  bird's  leg. 

On  these  seamless  bands  are  usually  a  number  which  can  be 
recorded  for  various  purposes,  such  as  telling  from  what  parents 
the  bird  came,  as  proof  that  particular  bird  won  or  did  not 
win  a  prize  at  a  pigeon  show,  etc.  These  seamless  bands  are 
only  necessary  for  birds  that  are  being  raised  for  show  purposes, 
otherwise  inexpensive,  open  or  removable  bands  will  do. 

Some  breeders  band  their  birds  with  two  bands,  one  to  de- 
ermine  the  pen  or  loft  that  they  came  from  and  the  other  to 


CARE  OF  PENS,  BANDING,  NESTING  MATERIAL,  103 

determine  mated  pairs,  and  the  nest  box  they  occupy.  By 
using  different  color  bands  with  numbers  thereon  one  band  on 
each  bird  is  sufficient  for  both  these  purposes. 

There  are  several  systems  of  numbering  and  color  banding, 
but  I  think  the  following  plan  is  easiest  to  keep  track  of  and 
the  most  serviceable:  For  instance,  if  you  have  30  pairs  of  birds 
in  a  nest  room,  select  three  color  bands  for  that  particular  nest 
room.  For  example,  white,  pink  and  light  blue,  with  numbers 
arranged  from  one  to  ten  in  each  color.  Band  the  males  on  the 
right  leg  and  the  females  on  the  left,  using  the  same  number 
and  color  for  each  pair.  All  numbers  come  in  duplicates  so  as  to 
supply  the  same  number  and  color  for  the  male  as  for  the 
female.  Make  a  record  on  or  over  the  door  of  the  nest  room 
of  the  band  colors  and  numbers  to  be  used  for  that  pen.  That 
is,  write  "White  1-10,"  "Pink  1-10,"  "Light  Blue,  1-10."  In  the 
next  nest  room  use  "red,"  "yellow,"  and  "green."  In  the  next, 
"orange,"  "cherry,"  "dark  blue,"  etc. 

There  are  two  objects  in  using  three  colors  for  each  pen.  First, 
if  you  desire  to  find  male  number  6  with  white  band  your 
number  of  birds  in  the  pen  that  are  likely  to  be  the  bird  that 
you  want  are  reduced  to  9,  as  there  are  only  9  other  cocks  in 
the  pen  with  white  bands,  while  if  30  cocks  in  the  pen  had 
white  bands  it  would  be  three  times  as  difficult  to  find  the 
desired  bird.  Second,  by  using  bands  of  different  colors  you 
can  keep  your  numbers  to  a  small  denomination,  which  will 
also  render  you  service  in  picking  out  special  birds,  for  the 
reason  that  single  numbers,  such  as  1,  4,  6,  etc.,  are  much  larger 
and  more  easy  to  see  than  double  numbers,  such  as  13,  15,  16, 
etc.,  and  as  a  rule  you  will  find  it  is  hard  to  tell  the  first  or 
second  figure  where  numbers  in  two  figures  are  used.  You  can 
see  one  figure  but  will  not  know  what  the  second  figure  is 
as  it  is  partly  on  the  other  side  of  the  bird's  leg,  or  you  can  see 
the  second  figure  and  cannot  tell  what  the  first  figure  is.  An- 
other thing,  if  a  number  gets  a  little  dirty  it  is  difficult  to 
distinguish  13  from  15,  16,  18  or  19,  or  to  tell  the  difference 
between  23,  25,  26,  28  or  29.  These  numbers  look  more  or  less 
alike  when  part  of  them  are  covered  up  with  dirt,  but  with  a 
large  single  figure  on  a  band  the  number  can  be  readily  told 
clear  across  the  nest  room  or  fly  pen. 


104  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

The  plan  of  having  three  colors  to  each  pen  uses  up  the 
various  colors  very  fast,  which  is  about  the  only  objection  to 
this  plan,  but  as  the  only  advantage  to  be  gained  by  having 
different  colors  for  different  pens  is  to  be  able  to  lell  what  pen 
a  bird  came  from  in  case  it  should  get  loose.  I  do  not  consider 
that  offsets  the  advantage  of  the  three  colors  to  the  pen  system. 

Besides,  the  pen  a  bird  comes  from  can  generally  be  told  when 
a  bird  gets  out  as  it  will  invariably  be  found  close  to  the  pen 
that  it  came  from,  and  even  with  a  large  plant,  birds  banded 
with  white,  pink  or  dark  blue,  for  instance,  would  be  quite  a 
ways  from  other  birds  banded  with  one  of  these  colors.  Then 
if  there  is  any  doubt  a  search  could  be  made  to  see  if  the  bird 
with  that  band  number  and  color  and  of  the  same  sex  was  in 
or  missing  from  a  pen. 

About  the  best  way  to  band  birds  according  to  pairs  is  to  wait 
until  they  start  work.  A  female  will  be  found  on  the  nest  early 
in  the  morning  or  late  in  the  afternoon  except  when  she  is  laying 
when  she  might  be  found  on  the  nest  any  time.  The  male  will 
be  found  on  the  nest  during  the  middle  of  the  day. 

When  a  bird  is  banded,  mark  the  number  of  its  band  on  the 
nest  box  in  a  conspicuous  place.  W^ith  a  letter  signify  the  color 
of  the  band  after  the  number,  "w,"  for  white,  "p"  for  pink,  and 
"b"  for  blue,  etc.  Then,  if  it  is  a  female,  make  a  dash  following 
the  letter,  and  if  a  male  that  is  banded,  signify  the  same  by  a 
straight  up  and  down  mark  after  the  number.  When  both 
birds  have  been  banded,  the  dash  and  straight  up  and  down 
mark  will  form  a  cross. 

By  this  method  you  can  look  in  the  nest  room  and  see  at  a 
glance  which  birds  are  banded,  which  are  not,  and  if  a  female 
is  banded  and  you  are  there  in  the  morning  you  will  know  that 
it  is  a  female  by  the  dash  following  the  number  and  letter  and 
it  will  not  be  necessary  to  bother  the  bird  or  catch  it  to  see  which 
leg  it  is  banded  on.  The  same  is  true  if  a  male  is  on  the  nest, 
and  your  marking  shows  that  male  has  been  banded. 

When  one  bird  of  a  pair  is  banded  take  the  other  correspond- 
ing band  and  hang  it  on  a  wire  in  front  of  the  nest  room  ready 
for  use.  Then  you  can  tell  by  looking  at  the  bands  on  the  wire 
just  how  many  birds  yet  unhanded. 

With  my  nest  room  plan  there  is  an  aisle  between  the  nest 
room  and  fly  pen  and  a  wire  partition  between  the  nest  room 


CARE  OF  PENS.  BANDING,  NESTING  MATERIAL  105 

and  aisle  and  by  hanging  the  band  on  the  wire  on  the  same  side 
that  the  nest  is  on  it  is  easy  to  find  the  band  for  any  unhanded 
bird. 

A  good  plan  is  to  tack  a  small  card  on  the  outer  edge  of 
each  nest  on  which  to  record  band  numbers  of  the  old  birds  for 
that  nest  and  the  date  and  number  of  squabs  that  are  taken 
out  of  each  nest.  An  ordinary  express  tag  makes  a  good  card 
for  this  purpose. 

A  better  plan  is  to  record  nothing  on  the  card  at  the  nest  box 
but  the  band  number,  color  and  the  cross  as  explained  above, 
then  have  a  card  or  a  little  day  book  hung  outside  of  the  door 
of  each  nest  room  and  record  on  same  the  band  number  and 
band  color  of  each  pair  in  that  nest  room.  Immediately  after  the 
number  make  a  monthly  record  of  the  number  of  squabs  each 
pair  produces. 

After  a  number  of  birds  have  been  put  into  a  nest  room  and 
each  pair  is  banded  for  that  nest  room,  the  male  on  the  right 
leg  and  the  female  on  the  left,  a  card  tacked  at  the  side  and  the 
numbers  and  colors  of  each  band  are  recorded  on  the  edges  of 
the  nest,  then  all  of  the  unmated  birds  in  that  nest  room  should 
be  removed  and  placed  in  with  unmated  birds  for  the  purpose 
of  securing  mates,  or  if  you  are  positive  as  to  the  sex  of  the 
birds  removed  it  is  a  good  plan  to  shut  them  up  in  pairs  to 
mate  as  many  males  with  as  many  females  separately  as  needed 
to  fill  out  the  allotment  for  the  nest  room. 

For  instance,  if  60  birds  were  put  into  a  nest  room  to  start 
with,  40  birds  have  mated  up  and  are  banded,  the  remaining 
20  birds  should  be  removed  from  that  nest  room  and  either 
placed  in  a  pen  with  other  unmated  birds  out  of  which  can  be 
selected  pairs  as  fast  as  they  mate  up,  banded  and  put  back  in 
the  original  nest  room,  or  10  females  may  be  shut  up  with  10 
males  in  10  separate  mating  coops  and  as  fast  as  they  mate  up 
be  banded  and  put  back  in  the  original  nest  room.  The  latter 
plan  would  be  a  little  faster  than  to  merely  put  them  into  a 
pen  with  other  unmated  birds  as  two  pigeons  will  mate  up 
quicker  in  a  mating  pen  than  any  other  way. 

If  a  bird  dies  its  mate  should  be  located  and  taken  out  and 
mated  up  with  another  bird,  then  banded  with  the  same  bands 
and  put  back  in  the  same  nest  room.    If  a  pair  is  taken  out  for 


106  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

any  reason  their  leg  bands  should  be  removed  from  their  legs 
and  saved  to  be  put  on  another  pair  for  that  pen. 

NESTING  MATERIAL 

Pigeons  build  their  own  nests  out  of  small  twigs,  coarse  hay, 
straw,  etc.  Tobacco  stems  cut  up  into  short  lengths  is  the  best 
material.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to  put  the  nesting  material 
within  reach  of  the  birds,  and  they  will  carry  it  to  their  nests 
one  straw  at  a  time.  You  cannot  help  them  any  or  hurry  them 
along  by  putting  the  material  in  the  nest  for  them  as  they 
prefer  to  build  their  own  nests. 

The  value  of  tobacco  stems  for  nesting  material  cannot  be 
overestimated  as  the  straws  are  about  the  right  size,  round  and 
pliable  and  are  liked  by  the  birds.  Added  to  these  qualities  the 
tobacco  stems  will  tend  to  keep  away  lice  and  to  keep  the  birds 
healthy. 

Tobacco  stems  can  be  secured  from  cigar  factories  at  a  small 
cost,  generally  50  to  75  cents  a  hundred. 

The  short,  curly  Havana  stems  are  the  best,  but  if  these  cannot 
be  secured  the  large,  coarse  kind  will  do  if  cut  up  into  lengths 
8  or  10  inches  long.  A  good  way  to  cut  them  up  is  with  a  corn 
knife,  hand  axe  or  hatchet,  using  a  block  of  wood  to  chop  them 
on.  They  can  be  cut  up  with  a  heavy  pair  of  scissors,  but  this 
is  a  rather  slow  process. 

Alfalfa  hay  makes  a  splendid  material  for  nests  as  it  is  short, 
round  and  pliable.  Straw  does  not  make  very  good  nesting 
if  it  is  used  alone  as  it  is  so  straight  and  flat  that  the  birds 
cannot  weave  it  into  a  nest  of  any  shape,  but  birds  like  a  little 
straw  along  with  other  material  to  make  a  soft  lining  out  of. 
Pine  needles  are  recommended  by  some  as  good  nest  material 
and  are  also  claimed  to  keep  lice  away.  Having  never  person- 
ally used  pine  needles,  I  cannot  give  any  definite  information 
regarding  them. 

Birds  like  an  assortment  of  material  for  nest  making,  there- 
fore, where  it  is  convenient  it  is  well  to  give  them  some  of 
several  materials,  such  as  prairie  and  alfalfa  hay,  wheat  or  oat 
straw,  and  tobacco  stems. 

This  will  not  only  please  the  birds,  but  will  also  save  the  to- 
bacco stems  and  yet  give  them  enough  to  act  as  lice  preventative. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
ENEMIES  OF  THE  SQUAB  PLANT 

LICE,  MITES  AND  OTHER  VERMIN 

The  same  lice  or  mites  that  get  on  chickens  will  also  bother 
pigeons.  Then  there  is  a  pigeon  louse  and  a  feather  louse,  but 
if  pigeons  are  kept  in  a  clean  place,  that  is  whitewashed  two 
or  three  times  a  year,  and  tobacco  stems  are  used  for  nesting 
material  they  will  not  be  bothered  by  lice  or  vermin  of  any  kind. 
Whitewash  and  lime  is  not  only  a  good  preventative,  but  it  will 
destroy  the  lice  if  the  house  and  nest  are  sprayed  with  it. 

The  feather  louse  as  a  rule  is  harmless  and  does  not  bother 
the  birds  except  certain  times  of  the  year. 

Mites  that  get  in  the  nest  and  on  the  eggs  and  young  ones  are 
probably  the  most  destructive  and  birds  are  apt  to  be  bothered 
with  mites  some  time  before  detecting  it  for  the  reason  that 
you  cannot  see  them  on  the  old  birds  like  lice,  but  if  you  examine 
your  squabs  you  can  find  the  mites  under  their  wings  and,  as 
a  rule,  on  the  side  of  the  head. 

If  mites  are  discovered  on  small  squabs  the  best  thing  to  do 
is  to  change  the  nests,  sprinkle  the  squabs  with  Lambert's  Death 
to  Lice  or  Persian  Insect  Powder.  The  former,  however,  is  much 
more  economical  and  just  as  effective.  It  can  be  obtained  from 
almost  any  drug  store.  Dip  your  nest  bottoms  in  crude  oil  and 
all  vermin  will  stay  out  of  the  nests  for  a  year  or  more. 

A  good  plan  is  to  put  a  small  amount  of  crude  carbolic  acid 
and  a  small  amount  of  crude  petroleum  into  the  whitewash 
before  using.  By  sprinkling  dry  lime  on  the  floor  of  the  nest 
room  the  birds  will  fly  from  place  to  place,  scatter  the  lime  all 
over  the  room,  in  fact,  every  little  crevice  will  be  filled  with 
lime  dust.  Air  slacked  lime  is  the  best  to  use,  as  it  will  not 
burn  the  pigeons'  feet  if  they  get  it  on  them  and  then  get  their 
feet  wet  in  any  way.  Yet  it  is  just  as  strong  and  powerful  as  the 
other  kind. 

107 


108  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

A  little  sulphur  in  the  bathing  water  when  birds  are  lousy  is 
not  a  bad  plan,  provided  you  can  get  your  birds  to  bathe  in  it, 
but  the  easiest  and  surest  way  is  to  keep  the  house  well  white- 
washed and  to  use  tobacco  stems  for  nesting  material.  When 
they  are  not  convenient,  or  obtainable,  an  ordinary  moth  ball 
dropped  in  the  corner  of  each  nest  box  acts  as  good  lice  pre- 
ventative. 

Pigeons  bathe  regularly  and  can  keep  themselves  clean,  which 
is  one  reason  why  they  are  not  bothered  very  much  with  lice. 

Chicken  lice  do  not  seem  to  stay  on  pigeons  very  long  at  a 
time.  They  are  very  annoying  and  destructive,  however,  during 
the  period  that  they  stay  and  will  cause  pigeons  to  leave  their 
nests  and  often  make  them  slow  up  in  their  work,  besides  caus- 
ing the  squabs  to  be  small  and  poor.  So  it  is  well  to  guard 
against  them  even  though  they  are  not  a  permanent  nuisance. 

Should  it  be  your  misfortune  to  have  your  birds  in  or  near 
an  old  chicken  house,  or  one  that  is  alive  with  lice  or  mites, 
and  should  these  pests  get  a  hold  on  your  squab  plant  to  such 
an  extent  that  a  mild  treatment  does  not  seem  to  do  the  work, 
you  can  clean  the  entire  place  of  lice  and  mites  by  one  gigantic 
effort  if  you  proceed  as  follows: 

First  take  out  and  burn  all  the  unused  nest  material,  feathers 
and  dirt  from  your  squab  house  and  the  surrounding  yard,  then 
start  in  with  your  nest  room.  Dip  each  bird  with  a  warm  solu- 
tion of  sheep  dip,  which  is  a  coal  tar  product  and  can  be  pur- 
chased at  almost  any  drug  store.  To  dip  the  birds  use  a  good  size 
bucket  with  sufficient  enough  liquid  to  enable  you  to  immerse 
the  bird  completely  under  except  its  head.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  get  any  in  its  eyes.  As  a  preventative  it  is  not  a  bad  plan 
to  grease  the  bird  around  the  eyes  with  a  little  vaseline  or  tal- 
low. The  dip  should  be  diluted  with  warm  water  to  about  one- 
half  the  strength  required  by  the  directions. 

When  dipping  a  bird  churn  it  up  and  down  a  time  or  two 
in  the  liquid  so  that  it  will  get  completely  wet  clear  to  the  skin, 
otherwise  the  feathers,  being  oily,  the  dip  will  not  take  hold. 
After  the  birds  are  dipped  put  them  out  in  the  fly  pen  to  dry, 
providing  it  is  a  warm  day.  They  should  not  be  dipped  except 
on  warm  days  so  that  they  will  dry  quickly. 

If  the  bottom  of  the  fly  pen  is  inclined  to  be  dirty  it  is  best 
to  lay  down  a  few  boards  for  the  birds  to  sit  on  while  drying. 


ENEMIES  OF  THE  SQUAB  PLANT 


109 


They  will  climb  on  the  boards  witi,out  help.     Trent  each  old 
bird  m  this  manner  and  put  them  all  out  in  the  flv  pen   then 
haxe  a  bucket  of  whit  ^vvash  ready  rnd   v.hitewa.h"  the    nsid 
of  the  nest  room  while  the  birds  are  dryin.     Nes,.     Mth  ,n  • 
young  or  eggs  can  be  taken  out  during  this  operation 

fha?  v'        '°  ':''''  *™'"  «"*""«  <^8SS  or  squabs  mixed,  and  .0 
that  you  may  know  the  exact  nest  they  belong  in   it  is  well    o 

c~ondTithth"  '"r'  T"^  '"•  ---r'^e  tbVboTes  to 

fr;;^z^  ^k-rr  nat'St: — --^1 
whe:.f  yor^uVfhir ""  -"'^^  *^  --  -^  --  --S 

I  would  advise  that  the  old  nest  material  be  destroved  and  he 
rep  aced  with  nests  made  of  fresh  material,  first  cmering  the 
bottom  of  the  nests  with  air-slacked  lime.    A  good  planTs  t!  din 

Sa-^tLTsruir,::*"-  --  "-*^  -^  - «-  -~;^ 
or^SL;;-ht^rcr^^^^^^^ 

floor  with  crude  petroleum  or  coal  tar  thinned  with  ga  oline 
You  can  use  an  ordinary  paint  brush  for  this.  Then  fhut  the 
doors  and  windows  tight  and  spray  each  nest  wi  h  naptha  o r 
formaldehyde,  the  latter  being  the  best  and  can  be  ob  ahied 
from  almost  any  fair  size  drug  store  ouiainea 

You  should  tie  a  sponge  or  wet  cloth  over  vour  mouth  and 
"ck  if'vrhTeT.ri'  ''  ""^  ^-"-'d-^h'-le  is  apt  to  mak  ^ou 
wUh      ^      ,  '  '°°  ™"'=''  °'  "•    The  spraving  can  be  done 

riiir;:trge7fhrbir^^^'-  -  -^--^  ->•  -^^  -  -  - 

de:'hirsLT':rid';:r"^  °'  "^  formaldehyde  will  mike  them 
oeathlj   sick  and  will  even  cause  them  to  throw  up  their  feed 

tt  ^rirpZn-rsXTn^rr '^^'  ---<' '°  ---  -- 

do^he'worktnd'tb'''  *t''  ''""*'  ^  ''''''  -^»^°1,  but  it  will 
cannot  It  hh  /^r""^*"^  ""*  ^°"  "'  "^«  ^"1  °i"es  if  you 
cannot  get  rid  of  them  any  other  way.  If  this  oneration  i<= 
performed  on  a  warm  day  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  kep  the 
eggs  or  squabs  warm  except  to  throw  a  light  clo[h  over  ?hem 


110  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

and  keep  them  out  of  the  air.  Be  sure  and  allow  birds  you  dip 
enough  time  to  dry  off  thoroughly  before  night.  The  sheep  dip 
will  not  dry  as  quickly  as  water  and  will  give  them  a  greasy, 
dirty  appearance  for  some  time  afterwards,  but  they  will  get 
rid  of  it,  however,  by  bathing  in  due  course  of  time. 

If  you  have  a  large  plant  naturally  it  will  require  several  days 
to  get  through  as  you  cannot  work  early  in  the  morning  or  late 
in  the  afternoon.  But  once  you  go  through  the  plant  as  directed 
you  can  feel  certain  that  you  have  no  more  lice  or  mites  to 
contend  with. 

CATS,  RATS  AND  MICE 

Cats  will  eat  squabs  but  can  be  kept  out  of  the  plant  with 
little  trouble.  The  birds  should  be  wired  in,  and  anything  that 
will  keep  a  pigeon  in,  will  keep  a  cat  out.  The  presence  of  cats 
around  the  plant  is  an  advantage  as  an  enemy  to  rats  and  mice, 
provided  cats  are  kept  out  of  the  nest  rooms  and  fly  pens.  Cats 
that  have  been  raised  from  kittens  in  a  squab  plant  are  not 
liable  to  bother  the  squabs  or  breeders,  especially  so  if  they 
are  fed  regularly. 

Rats  are  very  destructive  and  their  elimination  is  a  problem 
that  all  squab  breeders  have  to  solve.  If  a  squab  house  has  a 
floor  high  enough  off  the  ground  to  permit  cats  or  dogs  to  get 
under,  this  will  prevent  rats  from  accumulating  under  the 
floors,  If  no  floor  is  used,  a  layer  of  cinders  several  inches 
or  a  foot  thick  can  be  put  down  in  the  bottom  of  a  squab  house 
and  then  dirt  or  clay  packed  on  top.  Rats  cannot  bore  in 
cinders  successfully,  the  sharp  edges  of  the  cinders  are  too 
much  for  theni. 

About  the  best  plan  is  to  dig  a  trench  a  few  inches  wide  and 
18  inches  deep  around  the  outer  edge  of  the  squab  house.  Then 
nail  a  one-inch  mesh  wire  to  the  lower  edge  of  the  squab  house, 
allowing  the  wire  to  extend  down  into  the  trench.  Fill  the  trench 
up  with  dirt  and  you  have  Mr.  Rat  barred  from  your  place, 
provided  there  are  no  holes  above  the  ground  that  a  rat  can 
enter  through. 

This  plan  can  be  used  with  or  without  a  floor,  and  with  such 
a  plan  it  is  not  necessary  to  build  a  squab  house  up  off  the 
ground,  which  will  permit  you  to  bank  up  dirt  around  your 
plant  in  the  winter  time  to  keep  out  the  cold.  Cold  floors  are 
very  bad  for  pigeons. 


ENEMIES   OF  THE   SQUAB   PLANT  111 

Wire  or  other  traps  can  be  used  successfully  for  catching  rats 
or  even  poison  can  be  resorted  to  if  there  are  no  cats  and  dogs 
to  eat  it  or  the  poisoned  rats. 

While  mice  do  not  eat  squabs  or  bother  the  eggs,  they  are  very 
annoying  around  a  squab  plant,  are  great  consumers  of  feed, 
and  bother  the  pigeons  more  or  less  by  getting  into  their  nests. 

The  feed  supply  should  be  kept  in  a  mouse-proof  bin  or  re- 
ceptacle; old  boxes,  buckets,  barrels  or  other  articles  should  be 
kept  off  the  floor  in  a  manner  that  will  not  permit  mice  hiding 
under  or  behind  them. 

One  of  the  best  mouse  traps  I  know  of  is  a  small  box,  partly 
filled  with  cotton,  feathers,  shavings,  or  paper,  and  placed  on 
the  floor  of  the  squab  room  with  a  small  hole  in  the  bottom 
corner,  big  enough  to  allow  mice  to  pass  in  and  out.  If  there 
are  any  mice  around,  they  will  soon  adopt  the  box  for  their 
home;  the  box  can  be  carried  out  every  few  days  and  opened 
over  a  half  tub  of  water;  the  mice  will  jump  out  into  the  tub 
and  drown.  Then  the  box  can  be  put  back  into  the  nesting  room 
for  another  catch.  The  longer  such  boxes  and  their  contents 
are  used,  the  more  readily  will  the  mice  occupy  them. 

Every  time  a  rat  or  mouse  hole  is  found  in  your  squab  house, 
you  should  nail  a  piece  of  tin  or  a  thick  block  over  it,  vvhich 
will  prevent  them  from  getting  a  start  in  your  plant. 

THIEVES  AND  BAD  BOYS 

The  element  of  danger  from  thieves  or  bad  boys  botnering 
pigeons  can  in  many  ways  be  guarded  against.  A  high  fence 
along  the  exposed  sides  of  the  plant,  an  electric  lighting  system 
that  can  be  turned  on  from  the  residence  and  expose  the  pres- 
ence of  any  one  in  the  plant  at  night,  or  the  presence  of  a  good 
watch  dog,  are  good  precautions.  The  possibility  ol  being 
bothered  by  boys  or  thieves  is  not  great,  for  the  reason  that 
there  is  no  ready  local  market  or  immediate  demand  for  grown 
pigeons  and  they  cannot  therefore  dispose  of  them  promptly 
like  chickens.  The  percentage  of  saleable  squabs  in  the  nests 
is  so  small  that  the  danger  of  their  being  stolen  is  remote. 

SPARROWS,  HAWKS  AND   OWLS 

Sparrows  have  become  so  numerous  throughout  the  country 
that  is  necessary  to  guard  against  them,  otherwise  they  will 


112  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

consume  an  enormous  amount  of  feed.  They  are  so  bold,  cun- 
ning and  daring  that  they  will  find  and  enter  a  remote  opening, 
fly  right  into  a  nest  room  and  almost  take  possession  of  same. 

Inch  mesh  wire  is  the  best  protection  against  sparrows.  In 
this  way  they  can  be  kept  out  of  the  fly  pens  and  therefore  out 
of  the  squab  house. 

Hawks  and  owls  do  not  bother  pigeons  if  they  are  kept  in  fly 
pens,  for  the  reason  that  they  cannot  get  through  the  wire,  but 
hawks  often  prey  upon  pigeons  if  they  fly  out.  They  are  more 
apt  to  catch  the  young  birds  that  are  just  learning  to  fly,  but 
often  dart  down  and  pick  up  an  old  one. 

Owls  will  only  bother  pigeons  in  the  country  and  not  then 
unless  the  birds  occupy  a  bam  loft  or  some  place  where  the 
owls  can  conceal  themselves  in  the  day  time  and  prey  upon 
the  birds  at  night. 

As  a  whole,  however,  there  is  little  to  fear  from  hawks  and 
owls,  as  it  is  harder  to  catch  old  birds  and  young  ones  are  not 
usually  in  a  place  where  they  can  get  them. 

If  sparrows  bother  to  any  great  extent  they  can  be  disposed 
of  double  quick  by  soaking  wheat  or  other  small  grain  in  alcohol 
for  a  couple  of  hours  or  over  night,  then  scatter  the  wheat  out 
where  the  sparrows  can  eat  it.  When  they  do,  it  will  make  them 
drunk  and  they  can  be  picked  up  by  the  basket  full  if  there 
are  that  many. 

The  wheat  should  be  placed  somewhere  so  that  the  pigeons 
or  chickens,  if  you  have  any,  cannot  get  to  it  as  it  will  affect 
them  the  same  way  and  if  they  get  too  much  it  will  kill  them. 
It  takes  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  for  a  sparrow  to  topple  over  after 
eating  the  soaked  grain,  but  it  will  not  get  far  away  as  it  takes 
effect  in  a  short  time. 


CHAPTER  IX 
MOULTING  AND  COLOR  BREEDING 

MOULTING 

Like  all  other  feathered  animals,  pigeons  moult  (shed  their 
feathers,  once  a  year.  They  commence  to  moult  in  the  summer 
and  finish  getting  their  new  feathers  before  cold  weather,  and 
thus  nature  has  provided  a  way  for  them  to  ke^p  cool  in  hot 
weather  and  warm  in  cold  weather,  and  at  the  same  time  be 
annually  supplied  with  a  new  suit. 

During  the  moulting  process  a  bird  will  shed  every  feather, 
but  only  a  few  at  a  time,  so  at  all  times  they  are  partly  covered 
with  feathers  and  have  enough  so  they  can  fly.  At  the  height 
of  the  moulting  period,  however,  it  is  sometimes  difficult  for 
some  birds  to  fly,  especially  if  they  have  not  moulted  out  evenly, 
which  is  sometimes  the  case,  caused  by  poor  condition  or  insuf- 
ficient feed  of  the  proper  feather  producing  value. 

Birds  require  food  during  the  moulting  period  with  a  lot  of  oil 
in  it  Sunflower  seed,  millet,  hemp  or  peanuts  are  all  good 
feather  producing  feed,  sunflower  seed  being  the  best  for  the 
purpose,  millet  next. 

Mr.  Mushet  says:  "Probably  there  is  no  period  in  the  life  of 
the  pigeon  that  requires  more  attention  than  during  the  time 
of  moulting,  not  only  on  account  of  the  breaking  down  of  the 
muscular  tissues,  owing  to  natural  conditions,  but  also  the  drain 
on  their  vitality  incidental  to  the  production  of  a  complete  cover- 
ing of  new  feathers. 

Too  great  care  cannot  be  given  birds  during  this  trying  ordeal. 
At  this  time  the  birds  are  more  than  ever  subject  to  ailments 
and  while  they  may  have  gotten  bravely  over  their  moultings, 
many  troubles  which  are  apparent  later  may  be  traced  directly 
to  adverse  conditions,  which,  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
would  be  of  little  importance." 

To  sum  up  the  matter  briefly,  I  would  suggest  that  all  lofts 
be  thoroughly  cleaned  before  moulting  and   disinfected  wdth 

113 


114  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

sheep  dip  or  some  other  germicide,  pigeons  be  kept  free  from 
draughts  and  made  as  comfortable  as  conditions  will  allow. 
Bathing  should  be  provided  for  at  least  twice  a  week,  care  being 
taken  that  bath  is  emptied  to  prevent  the  pigeons  drinking 
foul  water. 

Breeding  during  the  moulting  period  should  be  discouraged 
as  much  as  possible,  and  no  squabs  should  be  raised  for  breed- 
ers until  the  moulting  season  is  entirely  over,  as  the  energies 
of  the  parent  birds  are  centered  on  recuperating  their  natural 
activity  and  not  on  feeding  their  offspring.  Observation  exer- 
cised with  good  common  sense  on  the  part  of  the  individual 
breeder  will  accomplish  a  great  deal  at  this  critical  period,  as 
the  different  breeds  of  pigeons  have  characteristics  peculiar  to 
themselves  and  what  might  be  applied  to  one  loft  might  not  be 
to  another. 

EXPLANATION  OF  FEATHER  COLORING 

It  is  generally  believed  by  men  who  have  made  a  study  of  the 
origin  of  the  different  kinds  or  species  of  pigeons  that  they  all 
originally  came  from  the  ancient  Rock  Pigeon  which  was  of  a 
bluish  gray  in  color  with  two  black  bars  or  stripes  across  the 
lower  end  of  each  wing,  very  much  the  same  in  color  as  the 
blue-barred  Homer  of  today.  The  most  positive  proof  of  this 
theory  is  that  the  off-colored  birds  of  any  breed  will  show  a 
tendency  in  color  to  "Blue  Bars."  The  same  is  true  when  the 
different  breeds  are  crossed  for  sooner  or  later  the  offspring 
drifts  toward  the  color  design  of  the  Old  Rock  pigeon.  In  fact, 
in  all  colors  and  varieties  of  pigeons  there  is  a  characteristic 
marking  of  the  feathers,  such  as  bars  on  the  wings  and  dark 
tips  on  the  end  of  their  tail  feathers  and  the  various  color 
schemes  built  up  from  a  bluish  gray.  That  strongly  supports 
the  idea  that  all  pigeons  came  from  a  common  variety.  This 
is  also  borne  out  by  the  habits  and  characteristics  of  all  pigeons 
which  are  in  a  general  way  the  same  with  all  varieties.  (See 
article  on  "Characteristics  of  Different  Varieties.")  Taking 
the  Blue  Bars  as  a  feather  color  basis  we  can  easily  trace  this 
bluish  gray  through  the  color  scheme  of  all  pigeons. 

The  same  fundamental  principles  govern  the  coloring  in  pig- 
eon feathers  that  govern  the  color  of  all  other  animals  or  fowls. 


MOULTING  AND  COLOR  BREEDING  115 

That  is  to  say,  all  colors  are  made  from  the  three  primary  colors. 
Red,  blue  and  yellow,  with  the  negative  white  and  the  positive 
black,  which  gives  various  combinations  of  five  so-called  colors. 
The  bluish  gray  pigeon  color  is  more  of  a  lead  color  than  a  blue 
and  lead  color  is  made  by  a  mixture  of  black  and  white.  A 
number  of  blue  barred  or  gray  pigeons  with  black  bars  put 
to  themselves  will  sooner  or  later  produce  some  all  white  and  all 
black  birds.  The  white  birds  are  those  that  are  void  of  pigment, 
hence  negative  in  color  or  white.  The  black  birds  are  the 
opposite  with  an  oversupply  of  pigment  which  gives  their 
feather  coloring  an  extreme  opaque  appearance,  hence  look 
black,  generally  a  muddy,  bluish-black.  By  careful  examination 
of  the  gray  of  the  supposed  original  pigeon  color  it  will  be  found 
to  contain  slight  variations.  Some  birds  will  show  slight  reddish 
or  purple  cast,  others  have  a  tendency  towards  yellow  or  green. 
The  various  slight  differences  in  shades  are  not  noticeable  unless 
one  makes  a  special  study  of  color  and  understands  the  prin- 
ciples of  color  and  color  combinations.  You  no  doubt  under- 
stand that  blue  and  red  make  purple,  red  and  yellow  make 
orange  and  blue  and  yellow  make  green.  Now  the  reason  we 
have  no  green  or  purple  pigeons  is  because  the  bluish  color  of 
pigeons  is  a  combination  of  black  and  white  and  is,  in  fact,  lead 
color  or  gray  and  not  really  blue,  hence  without  blue  there  is 
no  green  as  it  takes  blue  and  yellow  to  make  green  and  without 
blue  there  is  no  purple  as  it  takes  blue  and  red  to  make  purple. 
With  lead  color  or  gray  substituted  for  blue  we  can  get  a  slight 
purple  or  green  cast,  but  no  green  or  purple.  Now,  going  back 
to  explain  the  possibilities  of  the  various  colors  of  pigeons  other 
than  the  supposed  original  color,  the  feather  coloring  of  all 
pigeons  shows  the  presence  of  more  or  less  red  and  yellow,  by 
selecting  those  that  show  the  most  red  and  breeding  from  them 
and  again  selecting  the  reddest  of  their  offspring,  pigeons  of 
different  shades  of  reddish  feathers  have  been  produced,  but 
as  yet  it  has  not  been  possible  to  produce  bright  red  or  bright 
yellow  birds  and  probably  never  will  on  account  of  the  predom- 
inating colors  of  a  pigeon  being  gray  (if  you  will  permit  me  to 
call  gray  a  color)  and  as  a  combination  of  black  and  white 
makes  a  lead  color  and  the  presence  of  this  lead  color  which 
cannot  be  entirely  eliminated,  gives  the  red  or  yellow  a  muddy 
look  and  prevents  bright  red  or  bright  yellow.     The  various 


116  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

color  combinations  of  pigeons,  therefore,  are,  first,  lead  color 
(a  combination  of  black  and  white  with  a  little  red  or  yellow 
cast);  second,  black  with  generally  enough  red  or  yellow  to 
make  a  muddy  black.  Third,  white;  fourth,  same  colors  with 
red  predominating;  fifth,  the  same  colors  with  yellow  predomi- 
nating and  sixth,  a  combination  of  one  or  more  of  these  color 
schemes  .  The  presence  of  black,  which  generally  shows  first 
in  the  fonn  of  two  black  birs  on  the  wings,  and  the  presence 
of  white,  which  generally  shows  first  in  the  larger  wing  feath- 
ers, making  the  wings  "white  tipped,"  are  the  most  common 
feather  markings  and  those  that  are  the  most  difficult  lo 
eliminate. 

Such  colors  as  silver  and  dun  are  chance  or  negative  coiurs, 
the  same  as  is  yellow  that  appears  as  the  result  of  certain  color 
tendency  that  shows  up  with  the  combining  of  red  and  yellow 
with  lead  color  with  more  or  less  black  or  white,  but  there  are 
no  green  or  purple  shades  because  both  green  and  purple  re- 
quires blue  and  there  is  no  blue  in  the  feather  coloring  of 
pigeons.  The  bluish  color  that  we  see  being  the  result  of  a 
mixture  of  black  and  white. 

HOW  TO   BREED  YELLOW,  DUN   OR   SILVER 
COLORED   PIGEONS 

Since  writing  the  first  edition  of  this  book  the  author,  has 
carefully  studied  the  question  of  how  to  breed  yellow,  dun  or 
silver  colored  pigeons  that  will  reproduce  these  colors  and  has 
made  conclusive  experiments  until  he  has  found  a  positive  rule 
in  securing  birds  in  yellow,  dun  or  silvered  colors  with  assured 
results. 

To  start  with  let  me  explain  that  yellow  in  pigeons  is  the 
negative  color  to  red,  dun  is  the  negative  color  to  black  and 
silver  the  negative  to  blue.  To  make  this  more  plain,  I  will 
designate  red,  black  and  blue  as  positive  colors  and  yellow, 
dun  and  silver  as  negative  colors. 

Now  and  then  will  be  found  a  pair  of  red  pigeons  that  will 
produce  occasionally,  a  yellow  offspring  which  is  always  a 
female.  Now  and  then  will  be  found  a  pair  of  pure  black 
pigeons  which  will  produce  occasionally,  a  dun  offspring  which 
is  always  a  female  and  now  and  then  will  be  found  a  pair  of 


MOULTING  AND  COLOR  BREEDING  117 

all  blue  pigeons  that,  occasionally  will  produce  a  silver  offspring 
which  is  always  a  female. 

It, has  been  a  great  question  in  the  minds  of  many  who  notice 
these  irregularities  in  colors  as  to  how  to  produce  a  male  in 
the  negative  color,  viz.:  yellow,  dun  or  silver  inasmuch  as 
these  negative  colored  birds  that  spring  from  the  positive  colors 
are  always  females. 

If  you  will  follow  me  closely,  I  will  explain  how  to  breed 
negative  colored  males.  First  locate  the  parents,  whether  they 
be  red,  black  or  blue  that  produce  the  yellow,  dun  or  silver 
colored  females.  Separate  these  parents  and  remate  the  male 
of  that  mating  with  a  negative  colored  bird  of  its  respective 
color,  viz.:  if  it  is  a  red  cock  remate  it  with  a  yellow  female;  a 
black  cock  with  a  dun  female  or  a  blue  cock  with  a  silver 
female.  It  will  be  all  right  to  mate  the  positive  colored  cock 
with  its  negative  colored  female  offspring,  but  just  as  well 
to  mate  the  cock  with  the  negative  colored  female  of  no  relation. 

Before  I  go  further  and  to  make  it  more  simple,  w^e  will  leave 
off  the  black  and  dun  and  blue  and  silver  combinations  and 
make  the  illustration  wholly  from  the  red  and  yellow  combi- 
nation, the  black  and  dun,  and  blue  and  silver,  being  identical 
with  the  re.d  and  yellow.  What  applies  to  one  will  apply  to  the 
other.  Explaining  a  little  more,  regarding  the  positive  red  cock 
that  occasionally  produces  a  yellow  female,  such  cocks  are  not 
pure  red  positive  colors,  although  they  cannot  be  distinguished 
in  color  from  pure  positive  red  cocks.  There  is  something  there 
that  one  cannot  see.  They  are  impure  bred  and  when  mated 
with  a  negative  or  yellow  female  the  offspring  of  that  mating 
will  be  on  an  average  one-fourth  impure  red  cocks,  one-fourth 
yellow  cocks,  and  one-fourth  pure  red  hens  and  one-fourth 
yellow  hens. 

The  offspring  of  the  impure  red  male  youngster  will  produce 
the  same  as  the  offspring  as  its  impure  red  male  father  regard- 
less of  whether  it  is  mated  to  a  red  hen  or  a  yellow  hen  and 
the  male  offspring  will  be  red  if  it  is  mated  to  a  red  hen  and 
yellow  if  it  is  mated  to  a  yellow  hen.  The  next  generation  or 
reproduction  will  continue  as  above,  therefore  one  can  secure 
yellow  males  out  of  every  four  on  an  average,  which  will  pro- 
duce yellow  youngsters  of  both  sex  if  mated  to  yellow  females 
by  mating  an  impure  red  cock  to  a  yellow  hen  and  a  red  male 


118  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

of  that  mating  will  reproduce  one-fourth  yellow  cocks  the  same 
as  their  fathers  if  mated  to  yellow  females  and  the  yellow  cocks 
will  reproduce  both  males  and  females  if  mated  to  yellow  males. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  red  females  whether  from  impure  red 
cocks  mated  to  red  females  or  from  yellow  cocks  mated  to  red 
females  will  always  be  color  pure,  hence  the  color  of  any  red 
females  offspring  will  not  be  influenced  by  their  yellow  or 
red  parentage. 

What  is  true  of  red  and  yellow  matings  as  explained  above, 
is  also  true  of  the  black  and  dun  matings  and  blue  and  silver 
matings.  This  applies  to  all  breeds  of  pigeons  and  all  colors 
and  all  combinations  of  colors,  also  to  birds  of  any  of  these 
colors  mixed  with  white  in  large  or  small  proportions. 

Pure  red  males,  if  mated  to  pure  red  hens  will  produce  pure 
red  males  and  females  which  in  turn  will  produce  pure  red  off- 
springs of  both  sex.  Pure  red  males  mated  to  yellow  females 
will  produce  one-half  pure  red  males,  one-fourth  pure  red  fe- 
males and  one-fourth  yellow  females,  therefore  it  is  possible  to 
produce  yellow  males  from  pure  red  males  and  it  is  impossible 
to  produce  dun  males  from  pure  black  males  or  silver  males 
from  pure  blue  males. 

By  studying  the  following  diagrams,  one  will  be  able  to  more 
closely  comprehend  the  intricate  explanations  made  above  and 
more  readily  grasp  the  results  of  certain  matings. 

The  following  table  shows  how  to  produce  impure  red  males 
that  will,  when  mated  with  yellow  females,  reproduce  yellow 
mates  an  average  of  one  out  of  every  four. 

Pigeons  will  not  produce  with  a  limited  number  of  hatchings 
exactly  according  to  this  table,  but  in  time  they  will  average 
exactly  as  the  table  shows: 


Pure    Red   Male         "^  C    Impure    Red   M'  .e 

J  Impure  Red  Mr  ie 
I  Red  Female 

Yellow   Female  I  I    Red  Female 


and  V       Produce 


Yellow   Male  "^  f  Impure    Red   Male 

I    Impure   Red  Male 
S    Yellow   Female 
Red  Female  I  I   Yellow  Female 


and  V       Produce 


MOULTING  AND  COLOR  SRE^EDING  ll9 


Impure   Red   Male 

/ 

r  Impure   Red   Male 
.'    Yellow  Male 
i    Red   Female 
[  Yellow   Female 

and 
Yellow  Female 

Produce 

Impure   Red   Male 

r   Impure    Red    Male 
J    Impure  Red  Male 
i    Red   Female 

(^  Yellow    Female 

and 
Red  Female 

, 

Produce 

Yellow    Male 

--      Yellow    Male 

and 

Yellow  Female 

Produce 

J    Yellow  Male 
•^     Yellow  Female 
^  Yellow    Female 

It  will  be  noted  that  it  takes  an  impure  male  mated  with  a 
yellow  female  to  produce  yellow  males  and  that  an  impure  male 
can  be  produced  from  the  mating  of  pure  red  males  to  yellow 
females  or  by  mating  yellow  males  to  red  females,  but  when 
once  a  yellow  male  is  produced  and  mated  to  a  yellow  female, 
the  offspring  will  all  be  yellow.  The  offspring  as  shown  in  the 
tables  will  not  always  prove  in  the  same  ratio  of  one  to 
four,  but  they  will  average  that  proportion. 

What  is  true  of  Red  and  Yellow  combinations  is  also  true  with 
Black  and  Dun  and  Blue  and  Silver  combinations. 

INBREEDING 

The  chance  of  inbreeding  and  tlie  danger  of  harm  from  it  is  not 
as  great  as  most  people  think.  To  repeatedly  mate  brother  with 
sister,  mother  with  son  or  father  with  daughter  would  bring 
bad  results,  but  an  occasional  mating  of  this  kind,  as  might 
occur  by  chance,  will  make  little  or  no  difference  and  show 
no  ill  effect. 

The  percentage  of  chance  of  close  inbreeding  is  so  small  that 
it  does  not  pay  to  guard  against  it.  As  an  example,  with  as 
few  as  six  pairs  to  start  a  flock  with,  there  would  be  but  one 
chance  in  five  for  a  brother  to  mate  with  sister  out  of  the  first 
lot  of  youngsters  and  considerably  less  than  that  as  the  flock 
increased. 

The  chance  for  a  parent  bird  to  mate  with  its  daughter  or  son, 
would  be  less,  as  the  size  of  the  flock  would  be  much  larger  by 
the  time  an  old  bird  would  probably  die  and  make  it  necessary 
for  an  old  bird  to  get  a  new  mate. 


120  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

The  fact  that  a  female  will  mate  up  about  two  weeks  younger 
on  an  average,  than  a  male,  reduces  the  chance  for  brother  to 
mate  with  sister.  This  is  caused  by  the  habits  of  birds  more 
than  by  the  age  that  male  and  female  mate.  A  male  will  gen- 
erally get  a  home  or  a  nesting  place  before  he  gets  a  mate.  In 
fact,  this  is  generally  the  way  he  gets  a  mate  (see  article  on 
mating),  while  a  female  will  mate  up  with  some  older  male  that 
has  a  home  to  take  her  to  about  the  time  her  nest  brother  is 
thinking  of  getting  a  home. 


CHAPTER   X 
PIGEON  DISEASES  AND  REMEDIES 

GENERAL  REMARKS 

On  this  subject  no  one  seems  to  be  very  capable  of  advising 
except  as  to  chief  remedies  and  that  birds  should  be  handled  in 
such  a  way  as  to  keep  them  healthy,  thus  preventing  disease 
and  making  medicine  unnecessary. 

There  are  various  common  diseases  that  pigeons  are  more  or 
less  afflicted  with  and  some  of  these  are  harmless,  while  others 
prove  fatal.  Later  on  I  will  describe  some  simple  remedies  that 
I  have  found  to  be  fairly  effective,  but  cannot  vouch  for  them 
except  in  a  small  way. 

Pigeons  are  just  like  people  and  pigeon  doctors  are  just  like 
all  other  doctors.    One  will  have  one  theory  and  a  remedy  for 
a  certain  disease,  and  another  something  entirely  different.    If 
a  person  gets  a  headache  or  stomach  trouble,  one  doctor  will 
prescribe  certain  medicines.    Another  doctor  will  tell  you  that 
you  need  electrical  treatments,  another  that  a  change  of  climate 
is  necessary  or  a  visit  to  certain  springs,  or  forms  of  violent- 1 
exercise  or  dieting  will  bring  about  certain  results,  while  anothe^r/i 
doctor  might  want  to  massage  it  out  of  you  and  still  another!.! 
pronounce  you  incurable.     All  of  these  various  characteristic?--'' 
are  found  in  pigeon  doctors,  so  you  can  see  what  a  person  would' i- 
be  up  against  trying  to  follow  the  various  remedies  offered  b^'  ' 
people  with  different  experiences  and  ideas.     To  this  I  mighti; 
add  that  no  one  seems  to  understand  the  delicate  make-up  of  a 
pigeon  and  its  anatomy  as  some  of  our  leading  physicians  do 
the  human  anatomy.    Then,  too,  it  is  hard  to  proportion  remedies 
for  such  a  small  being  as  a  pigeon  and  hard  to  detect  the  results. 

You  cannot  feel  a  pigeon's  pulse  or  take  its  temperature  suc- 
cessfully or  ask  it  to  describe  its  ailments.     So,  as  a  whole, 

121 


VZ2  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

doctoring  pigeons  is  not  a  successful  undertaking  and  the  best 
we  can  do  with  any  degree  of  success  is  to,  first,  keep  pigeons 
well  by  giving  them  proper  food  and  water  and  other  supplies 
and,  second,  if  they  do  get  sick,  take  a  chance  on  some  simple 
remedy  that  cannot  harm  them  even  though  it  might  not  do 
them  much  good. 
The  following  are  a  few  symptoms  and  simple  remedies: 

ROUP   AND    COLDS 

Daring  rain  and  cold  weather  and  certain  seasons  of  the  year, 
and  especially  in  the  sections  of  the  country  where  there  is 
more  or  less  dampness,  there  is  danger  of  pigeons  contracting 
colds  and  roup. 

The  best  remedy  for  any  disease  is  a  preventative  and  this  is 
especially  true  with  colds  and  roup.  The  same  thing  that  will 
cause  birds  to  catch  cold  will  cause  them  to  catch  more  cold 
if  the  cause  is  not  removed.  All  the  medicine  in  the  world  will 
not  cure  a  bird  in  the  presence  of  drafts,  damp  lofts  or  other 
unfavorable  conditions.  As  with  people,  plenty  of  fresh  air  is 
necessary,  but  the  admittance  of  air  and  the  nest  box  arrange- 
ment must  be  so  that  birds  will  not  be  exposed  to  drafts  and 
can  keep  warm  and  dry. 

One  of  the  first  things  to  do  for  pigeons  with  a  bad  cold  is  to 
give  them  a  slight  physic.  A  tablespoonful  of  Epsom  salt  to  a 
gallon  of  water  given  the  birds  the  first  thing  in  the  morning 
is  about  the  best  way  to  give  physic.  All  other  water  must  be 
kept  from  them,  otherwise  they  will  not  drink  the  water  con- 
taining the  salts.  Next  see  that  there  are  no  drafts  in  the  loft, 
especially  near  the  floor.  If  the  floor  is  cold  you  will  find  the 
air  circulation  is  wrong  or  that  the  wind  blows  under  the  house. 
Cold  floors  are  very  bad  for  pigeons.  For  this  reason  I  do  not 
favor  building  the  house  up  off  the  ground.  A  thorough  clean- 
ing out  of  a  nest  room,  using  plenty  of  dry  lime  and  dry  nesting 
material,  a  change  in  the  air  regulation,  plenty  of  fresh  water 
for  the  birds  to  drink,  and  a  change  in  their  feed  will  break  up 
colds  or  roup  nine  times  out  of  ten.  For  severe  cases  give  the 
bird  a  pinch  of  dry  sulphur  twice  a  day  and  place  them  in  a 
warm,  airy  place,  away  from  the  other  birds.  There  are  other 
remedies  that  no  doubt  have  lots  of  merit,  but  doctoring  pigeons 


PIGEON  DISEASES  AND  REMEDIES  123 

is  hard  and  uncertain  as  to  results.     Therefore,  preventatives 
are  better  than  cures. 

The  time  to  start  remedies  is  at  the  first  sign  of  a  cold  which 
can  be  detected  by  wheezing  or  hard  breathing.  It  is  then  time 
to  change  the  air  circulation,  look  out  for  drafts,  wet,  damp 
rooms  or  cold  floors  and  remedy  same. 

"GOING  LIGHT" 

When  birds  are  getting  thin,  they  invariably  are  not  receiving 
a  sufficient  amount  of  good  food,  and  birds  that  are  especially 
weak  and  thin  can  be  best  doctored  by  putting  them  in  a  place 
by  themselves,  where  they  can  get  an  extra  amount  of  choice 
grain,  charcoal,  grit,  oyster  shell,  and  plenty  of  fresh  water. 

A  dose  of  Epsom  salts,  used  at  the  ratio  of  about  one  table- 
spoonful  to  a  gallon  of  water  is  a  good  remedy  in  case  birds 
are  in  a  rundown  condition.  Epsom  salts  is  also  a  good  bowel 
remedy  if  given  not  oftener  than  once  a  week.  A  small  dose 
will  generally  give  the  bird  that  will  not  eat  an  appetite,  giving 
them  water  with  salts  in,  as  described  above.  In  order  to  get 
birds  to  drink  such  water,  however,  it  is  generally  necessary  to 
take  all  the  water  away  from  them  in  the  afternoon  and  then 
give  them  water  with  salts  in  the  next  morning. 

Birds  often  become  sick  or  "under  the  weather"  during  the 
moulting  season.  Hemp  or  sunflower  seeds  are  good  feather 
producers,  and  a  little  fed  along  with  the  morning  feed  is  a 
good  idea.  I  for  one  do  not  believe  that  there  is  such  a  disease 
as  going  light.  That  some  pigeons  may  get  poor,  run  down  and 
become  weak  is  not  denied,  for  that  is  a  fact,  but  that  there  is 
a  certain  ailment  known  as  "going  light"  is  questionable. 

Pigeons  are  very  healthy,  and  the  percentage  of  deaths  from 
disease  is  extremely  small  as  compared  with  chickens. 

If  a  person  takes  a  bad  cold,  which  runs  into  bronchial  trouble, 
asthma,  or  tuberculosis;  or,  for  instance,  has  poor  digestive 
organs,  we  generally  know  the  cause  of  the  poor  health  and 
call  it  by  its  proper  name;  whereas,  if  a  pigeon  suffers  from  any 
of  these  troubles  we  say  it  is  "going  ligh.t" 

Bad  or  impure  feed,  dirty  and  impure  water,  damp  lofts  and 
unsanitary  conditions,  will  all  be  instrumental  for  a  bird  losing 
its  appetite,  and  as  a  result  "go  light."     If  a  bird  gets  a  sour 


124  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

crop,  a  case  of  constipation,  running  off  of  the  bowels,  an  in- 
active liver,  a  clogged  gizzard,  or  even  a  severe  cold,  it  will  eat 
but  little,  if  anything,  and  naturally  "go  light."  Hence  a  certain 
remedy  to  cure  "going  light"  would  not  suffice.  That  which 
would  be  good  for  a  cold  or  a  soup  crop  might  not  be  beneficial 
for  some  of  the  other  ailments  mentioned. 

Before  one  can  intelligently  doctor  a  bird,  he  must  first  diag- 
nose its  troubles  or  at  least  form  a  conclusion  as  to  the  cause. 

The  old  saying  about  an  ounce  of  prevention  being  worth  a 
pound  of  cure  especially  applies  in  the  pigeon  business.  The 
proper  care  and  attention  and  a  simple  remedy  given  at  the 
first  sign  of  sickness  will  keep  pigeons  in  the  best  of  condition. 

Birds  that  get  sick  should  be  put  in  a  pen  by  themselves, 
where  they  will  not  be  bothered  by  the  aggressive  cocks  in  the 
loft.  Such  a  place  should  afford  plenty  of  light  and  fresh  air 
(no  draught),  be  warm  in  winter  and  cool  in  summer.  They 
should  be  provided  daily  with  fresh  water,  grit,  salt,  charcoal, 
oyster  shell,  and  have  plenty  of  appetizing  food. 

A  good  plan  is  to  apply  the  same  general  principle  of  treat- 
ment to  a  pigeon  as  one  would  to  a  person,  using  one's  best 
judgment  as  to  how  much  treatment  is  practical  and  profitable, 
and  basing  opinion  upon  knowledge  of  what  can  be  accom- 
plished. 

The  most  common  cause  for  "going  light"  is  lack  of  nourish- 
ment. The  pigeons  actually  are  starving  for  want  of  nourish- 
ing grain  like  Canada  peas  and  pigeon  peanuts.  "Going  light" 
is  also  seen  in  females  driven  too  hard  by  the  males.  Such 
females  should  be  removed  from  the  breeding  pen  and  rested. 
There  is  no  germ  cause  for  "going  light." 

SORE  EYES 

The  principal  cause  of  sore  eyes  among  pigeons  is  colds,  due 
to  dampness  or  overhead  drafts.  The  symptoms  of  sore  eyes 
caused  from  colds  are:  First,  swollen  eyelids,  followed  by  a 
slight  discharge  and  gummed  up  eyelids  to  the  extent  of  total 
closing  of  the  eye.  To  cure  sore  eyes  caused  by  colds,  cure  the 
cold  by  removing  the  cause,  then  nature  will  take  its  course, 
provided  the  birds  are  accorded  the  proper  treatment,  such  as 
plenty  of  fresh  air,  good  wholesome  feed  and  pure  water.    The 


PIGEON  DISEASES  AND  REMEDIES  125 

first  thing  in  sore  eyes,  colds,  or  most  any  other  ailment  for  that 
matter,  is  to  see  that  bird's  bowels  are  active,  yet  not  loose. 
This  can  be  regulated  by  the  feed  given,  add  a  little  more  wheat 
to  your  feed  mixture  if  birds  seem  to  be  bound  up,  and  if  the 
bowels  are  too  loose  reduce  the  portion  of  wheat.  Charcoal  is 
also  a  good  bowel  regulator,  especially  if  the  bowels  are  too 
loose.  If  the  eye  is  glued  shut,  soak  the  lids  loose  by  applying 
warm  water,  with  the  aid  of  a  clean  soft  cloth  or  cotton.  If 
this  is  not  convenient,  hold  the  bird's  head  with  the  closed  eye 
up  and  spit  in  it,  allowing  the  sputum  to  flood  the  eye  for  a 
minute,  when  it  will  come  open.  This  sounds  like  an  unclean 
remedy,  but  it  is  a  good  one  nevertheless.  In  fact,  sputum  is  good 
for  most  any  kind  of  sore  eyes. 

Canker  will  cause  sore  eyes,  but  if  the  canker  appears  on  the 
side  of  the  head  near  the  eye  you  can  always  tell  a  canker  sore 
eye  by  the  presence  of  a  hard  lump  on  or  near  the  eye.  These 
lumps  are  apt  to  be  of  most  any  size  from  a  grain  of  wheat  up 
to  a  lump  almost  as  large  as  the  bird's  head.  This  form  of 
canker  is  not  serious  and  can  be  removed  by  cutting  a  large 
enough  slit  in  the  skin  with  a  sharp  knife  to  permit  the  cank- 
ered lump  to  be  squeezed  out.  The  wound  will  bleed  a  little 
when  cut,  but  not  to  hurt  anything,  and  will  stop  bleeding  as 
soon  as  the  cankered  lump  is  removed.  There  will  be  no  blood 
at  all  from  the  inside  of  the  cankered  lump  or  the  pocket  it  is  in. 
The  wound  will  heal  up  immediately  and  the  bird  will  get  well. 

When  several  birds  are  confined  to  close  quarters  or  in  ship- 
ping crates,  they  sometimes  pick  each  other  in  the  eye,  which 
will  make  it  sore.  There  is  nothing  necessary  in  such  cases,  as 
the  eye  will  heal  in  a  few  days,  although  it  may  look  very  bad 
at  the  time.  If  a  bird  should  in  any  way  lose  an  eye  they  will 
work  and  produce  as  many  good  squabs  as  they  would  with  two 
good  eyes.  They,  of  course,  will  not  look  as  well  with  one  eye, 
but  are  just  as  useful.  A  good  rule  is  to  save  a  one-eyed  female 
and  kill  the  one-eyed  males. 

There  are  some  good  eye  remedies  on  the  market,  but  the 
percentage  of  sore  eyes  is  small  with  a  good  flock  of  healthy 
birds  and  the  cure  of  all  such  diseases  is  so  uncertain  with 
pigeons  that  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  doctor  them,  except  in 
extraordinary  cases  with  birds  of  special  value. 


126  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

LUMPS  ON  WINGS 

Lumps  on  pigeon  wings  are  generally  due  to  a  sprained  or 
dislocated  joint,  as  a  rule  caused  by  rough  handling  and  catching 
of  birds  or  by  catching  them  by  one  wing  and  allowing  them 
to  twist  or  turn  around  and  thereby  dislocate  a  wing  joint. 
Nature  tries  to  heal  the  place  and  as  a  protection  grows  a 
grisel-like  substance  over  the  affected  part;  the  bird  cannot  use 
the  joint,  which  affects  or  entirely  prevents  flying.  Very  little 
can  be  done  for  a  broken,  sprained  or  dislocated  wing. 

The  next  usual  cause  for  lumps  on  wings  is  canker.  This  is 
a  different  form  of  canker  than  appears  in  birds'  mouths  and 
throats.  Lump  canker  it  is  called,  and  while  it  often  appears 
on  the  wing,  it  is  just  as  apt  to  form  on  any  other  part  of  the 
body.  This  can  be  easily  cured  by  splitting  the  skin  and  flesh 
over  the  bump  and  take  the  lump  out  as  is  explained  in  cutting 
canker  lumps  from  eyes. 

By  examining  lumps  that  appear  on  the  wings  one  can  read- 
ily tell  a  canker  lump  from  one  caused  by  an  injury.  The 
canker  lump  will  stand  out  farther  from  the  body  and  you  can 
easily  detect  the  canker  substance  inside  before  it  is  opened. 
Then  there  is  what  is  known  as  a  diseased  joint,  which  seems 
to  be  more  or  less  hereditary,  sometimes  caused  by  close  in- 
breeding. These  diseased  joints  are  thought  by  some  to  be 
tubercular  in  form.  Perhaps  so,  it  seldom  hurts  birds  and  they 
will  live  for  years,  and  keep  up  constant  work  in  that  condition. 
If  a  bird,  however,  is  disabled  to  the  extent  that  it  can  not  fly 
the  best  plan  is  to  get  rid  of  it  as  it  does  not  add  to  the  looks 
of  the  pen  and  will  be  compelled  to  nest  on  the  floor  which  is  bad. 

SORE  FEET 

If  pigeons  are  allowed  to  stay  in  a  dirty  loft  or  walk  on 
muddy  ground,  they  are  apt  to  suffer  with  sore  feet,  which  is 
caused  by  the  dirt  sticking  to  the  bottom  of  their  feet  and  caus- 
ing the  skin  to  crack  and  bleed.  The  remedy  for  this  trouble 
is  to  soak  the  dirt  off  with  warm  water,  then  grease  the  feet 
with  tallow  mixed  with  turpentine  or  lard  and  turpentine.  Tal- 
low is  better  than  lard.  The  tallow  must  be  warmed  before  it 
will  mix  with  turpentine. 

If  sore  feet  are  not  taken  care  of  the  trouble  will  become 


PIGEON  DISEASES  AND  REMEDIES  127 

chronic.  Rough  calloused  growths  will  appear  on  the  bottom  of 
the  feet  and  feathers  will  start  growing  on  these  sore  places  until 
the  bird  will  get  so  it  can  hardly  walk.  Turpentine  and  lard  or 
tallow  is  about  the  only  remedy  and  a  dry,  clean  place  for  the 
bird  to  stay  until  its  feet  are  well. 

MUD  BALLS 

Muddy  pens  or  lofts  will  cause  birds  to  get  mud  balls  on 
their  toe  nails,  and  if  not  taken  off  will  keep  getting  bigger  and 
bigger,  like  a  snow  ball,  and  cause  the  bird  to  lose  its  toe  nails, 
and  sometimes  go  lame.  The  way  to  get  the  mud  balls  ofT  with- 
out pulling  the  toe  nail  off  is  to  cut  them  off  with  a  knife.  You 
will  find  the  ball  the  thinnest  on  top,  and  by  cutting  or  split- 
ting the  mud  ball  along  the  top  of  the  nail,  holding  the  toe  as 
you  would  sharpen  a  pencil,  you  will  find  it  no  trouble  to  get 
the  ball  loose  from  the  toe  without  damaging  the  nail  or  making 
the  toe  bleed. 

Squabs  in  the  nest  will  sometimes  have  mud  balls  form  on 
their  toes  due  to  dirty  nests,  which  generally  comes  from  bowel 
trouble.  In  such  a  case  the  nest  should  be  cleaned  out,  fresh 
nesting  material  put  in  the  nests,  the  mud  balls  removed  from 
the  birds'  toes  as  above  explained,  and  then  change  the  feed  or 
conditions  that  caused  the  birds'  bowels  to  get  out  of  order. 
Squabs  will  not  fatten  under  such  conditions. 

SIMPLE  REMEDIES 

Some  simple  remedies  suggested  by  Mr.  Roy  Y.  Whitney  in 
American  Pigeon  Journal  as  follows: 

Colds 

Rub  yellow  murcuric  oxide  ointment  into  a  bird's  eyes  that 
are  watery  and  sore,  once  a  day  for  three  or  four  days  and  you 
will  be  pleased  with  the  result. 

If  your  birds  all  seem  to  be  catching  colds,  are  coughing  or 
sneezing,  the  following  remedy  will  bring  results:  Fix  your 
house  so  you  can  close  it  up  tight.  When  the  birds  have  all 
gone  to  roost,  set  a  burner  in  the  house  with  a  pan  over  it  con- 
taining about  11/2  pints  of  w^ater  and  a  big  tablespoonful  of 
Cresoline.     Light  the  burner  and  close  up  the  house.     Allow 


128  AMERICAN    SQUAB     CULTURE 

the  vapor  from  the  boiling  Cresoline  to  rise  for  a  couple  of  liours 
every  evening  for  a  week.  This  will  eradicate  a  contagious 
cold.  Give  the  birds  a  good  laxative  of  Epsom  salts  in  their 
drinking  water  while  so  doing. 

Canker 

Hard  canker  can  be  cauterized  with  chemically  pure  blue 
vitrol  or  bluestone.  Wet  a  little  paddle  in  some  water  so  the 
bluestone  will  cling  to  it.  Hold  the  paddle  against  the  canker 
for  a  minute  or  so.  Remove  the  blackened  canker  carefully 
before  applying  the  second  time.  Treat  about  twice  in  one  day. 
Be  careful  not  to  let  any  bluestone  run  down  the  bird's  throat. 
A  caustic  pencil  will  cauterize  small  spots  of  canker.  Get  the 
bluestone  at  a  drug  store.  The  above  remedies  will  do  for  an 
occasional  case  of  canker,  but  when  it  runs  through  a  whole 
flock,  you  had  better  look  to  your  feed  and  water.  Plenty  of  liver 
salts  put  in  the  drinking  water  every  day  for  a  month  together 
with  a  feed  suitable  to  the  climatic  conditions  will  stamp  it 
out  of  a  flock.  Slightly  underfeed  your  birds  and  cut  down  on 
yellow  com,  hemp,  or  any  other  grain  that  is  very  heating.  In 
other  words,  allow  the  bird  a  chance  to  cool  off  his  blood.  You 
will  hardly  ever  find  canker  among  underfed  birds. 

Cheesy  Canker 

Dip  a  piece  of  cotton  into  some  Ichthyol  and  swab  out  the 
bird's  throat  once  or  twice  a  day.  Do  not  allow  any  to  run 
down  the  bird's  throat.  The  cheesy  canker  or  diphtheria  roop 
will  disappear. 

Loose  Bowels 

Cut  down  on  the  amount  of  soft  wheat  you  are  feeding  and 
substitute  rice.  If  a  bird  is  very  sick,  give  it  nothing  but  boiled 
milk  to  drink  with  its  feed.  If  the  droppings  show  that  the 
bird  has  a  cold  in  the  bowels,  make  it  swallow  two  No.  5  capsules 
full  of  quinine  every  day  for  three  or  four  days,  after  which 
give  it  a  physic  of  Epsom  salts. 

Sour  Crop 

Purge  the  bird's  crop  with  salty  water.  Give  him  a  charcoal 
tablet,  and  let  him  go  hungry  for  a  day.    Do  not  let  him  overeat 


PIGEON  DISEASES  AND  REMEDIES  129 

for  a  day  or  so.  If  you  feed  clean  grain  and  keep  plenty  of 
charcoal  and  salt  before  the  birds,  they  won't  be  troubled  with 
sour  crop. 

Egg  Troubles 

Plenty  of  lime  made  into  a  paste  and  stirred  into  the  grit 
will  keep  away  the  thin-shelled  eggs.  A  small  quantity  of  lime 
in  the  drinking  water  occasionally  will  also  be  of  benefit.  Do 
not  pick  a  squab  out  of  a  hard  shelled  egg.  Cover  the  egg  well 
with  saliva  and  lay  it  back  in  the  nest.  Your  squab  will  hatch 
out  without  any  further  help. 

Vermin 

When  you  do  your  whitewashing,  use  about  one  pint  of 
Cresoline  to  every  10  gallons  of  whitew^ash.  It  will  keep  the 
bugs  out  of  the  boards  and  cracks.  If  you  cannot  get  this,  you 
can  use  salt.  Mix  the  lime  with  a  good  strong  solution  of  salt 
brine.  Salt  brine  will  kill  almost  any  kind  of  an  insect  and  so 
will  salty  whitewash. 

Spray  the  ground  well  with  the  whitewash;  turn  it  over  with 
a  spade  and  spray  it  again.  Your  birds  will  not  have  to  walk 
around  on  foul  eaiih,  which  looks  clean.  Remember  they  are 
built  to  walk  pretty  close  to  the  ground. 

Tonic 

Ten  drops  tincture  of  Gentian  to  each  gallon  of  water  is  a 
good  tonic.  Give  it  once  a  week.  Ten  cents  worth  of  permanga- 
nate of  potash  in  one-half  gallon  of  water  makes  a  good  strong 
tonic.  Color  the  drinking  water  to  the  same  strength  as  you 
would  were  you  using  Germazone,  a  little  Venetian  Red  mixed 
into  the  feed  once  a  week  is  a  good  cleanser. 

Feather  Rot 

Feather  rot  in  the  wings  or  tail  feathers  can  be  cured  by 
using  vinegar  on  them.  Apply  it  with  a  medium  stiff  brush. 
Do  not  try  to  make  use  of  all  these  remedies  at  one  time  as 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  overdoing  the  doctoring  stunt.  Give 
the  birds  a  good  clean  house,  clean  feed  and  water  and  you  will 
have  very  little  doctoring  to  do,  especially  if  you  take  an  interest 
in  their  everyday  welfare. 


130  AMERICAN     SQUAB    CULTURE 

FEEDING  WEAK  OR  SICK  PIGEONS 

As  a  rule  when  a  pigeon  gets  so  sick  or  weak  tliat  it  will  not 
oat  the  regular  feed  piovided  for  well  hii'ds  there  is  not  much 
use  trying  to  do  anything  for  it  unless  one  lias  })lenty  of  time 
or  has  a  special  l)ird  he  wants  to  save.  Young  l)irds  just  after 
the  parent  hird  lias  stopi)ed  feeding  tliem  are  the  most  likely 
to  need  special  feed,  or  females  that. have  been  driven  too  hard 
by  the  male  bird.  If  either  is  cared  for  in  time  all  that  is  nec- 
essary is  to  put  them  in  a  pen  by  themselves  or  with  other  such 
birds  and  see  that  they  get  plenty  of  good  rich  feed  including 
a  little  liemp,  plenty  of  peas  and  such  grain  as  millet,  buck- 
wheat, lentils,  vetch,  etc.  Any  of  these  grains  will  be  eaten  by 
sick  birds  when  they  will  not  eat  the  more  common  grains. 

These  grains  are  generally  more  expensive  than  regular  feed 
so  they  must  be  fed  sparingly. 

If  a  bird  is  so  sick  or  weak  that  it  will  not  eat,  then  feed 
nnist  be  forced  down  its  throat.  (See  article  on  "Feeding  S((uabs 
by  Hand.")  A  bird  that  is  so  far  gone  that  it  will  not  eat  of  its 
own  accord,  esi)ecially  when  it  is  given  special  grain,  is  as  a  rule 
past  doing  anything  with. 

In  such  cases  a  mixtui-e  of  t^\()  i)arts  wheat  bran  and  three 
parts  corn  meal  with  al)out  a  spoonfvd  of  ground  red  pepper  to 
a  cup  of  bran  and  meal  is  about  the  best  thing  to  give  them. 
This  mixture  should  be  made  wet  enough  with  water  to  make 
it  easy  to  force  down  the  bird's  throat  or  it  can  be  given  in 
capsules.  This  is  an  especially  good  way  to  give  most  any  kind 
of  medicine  or  feed  to  sick  birds.  Cotton  seed  meal  or  i)eanut 
meal  is  a  good  thing  to  mix  with  bran  and  corn  meal.  About 
one  part  to  five  parts  of  bran  and  corn  meal. 

Small  cubes  of  toasted  bi-ead  is  also  excellent  feed  for  sick 
birds. 

FEEDING   SQUABS   BY   HAND 

Motherless  scjuabs  can  often  1)(>  successfully  raised  by  hand  if 
one  has  patience  and  will  take  the  time  to  do  so.  If  you  have 
never  fed  a  squab  by  hand,  you  will  find  the  work  very  tedious 
at  the  start,  but  a  little  practice  will  enable  you  to  show  a,  marked 
improvement, 


PIGKON  DISEASES  AND  REMEDIES  131 

Hand  feeding  is-  no  more  nor  less  than  forcing  the  bird  to 
eat  by  poking  the  feed  down  the  bird's  throat.  To  do  this  you 
should  open  the  beak  with  the  left  hand  and  poke  the  grain  in 
with  the  right  hand.  The  best  way  is  to  set  the  bird  on  some- 
thing, then  take  its  head  and  neck  in  the  left  hand,  resting  the 
edge  of  your  hand  on  the  bird's  back  to  liold  it  from  pulling 
away.  Then  hold  the  lower  half  of  the  beak  between  your  thumb 
and  second  finger.  Lift  up  the  upper  half  of  the  beak  with  your 
front  finger  and  put  a  grain  of  corn  or  other  feed  in  the  bird's 
mouth  and  release  its  head  to  allow  it  to  swallow.  If  it  does 
not  swallow  and  persists  in  tlirowing  the  feed  out,  then  you 
will  find  it  necessary  to  poke  the  grain  part  way  down  with  the 
front  finger  of  your  right  hand.  Repeat  this  operation  until  the 
crop  is  fairly  well  filled. 

If  you  give  the  squab  a  drink  before  you  start  to  feeding  it 
the  grain  will  go  down  easier.  Some  real  young  squabs  will 
drink  if  you  stick  their  heads  in  a  cup  of  water. 

If  they  will  not  drink  of  their  own  accord,  you  should  pour 
some  water  down  their  tliroats.  You  can  best  do  this  with  a 
spoon,  or  better  still  with  a  medicine  dropper,  holding  the  bird 
the  same  as  you  would  to  feed  it  and  opening  the  beak  in  the 
same  way.    Do  not  be  afraid  of  giving  the  bird  too  much  water. 

A  small  squab  can  consume  two  or  three  tablespoonfuls  of 
water.  If  the  grain  chokes  up  the  bird's  throat  you  can  work  it 
down  with  your  fingers  from  the  outside. 

In  addition  to  feed  and  water,  a  bird  sliould  be  given  a  very 
small  amount  of  grit,  oyster  shell  and  charcoal.  Hand  fed 
squabs  will  not  do  as  well  as  if  fed  by  their  parents,  but  they 
can  be  raised  by  hand  and  develop  into  good  birds. 

Hand  feeding  can  be  done  in  connection  with  the  feeding  of 
the  old  birds,  which  is  often  a  good  thing  if  one  has  a  good 
special  squab  tliat  he  desires  to  raise  that  is  not  getting  enough 
feed.  In  such  a  case  a  few  peas  given  to  the  squab  nightly  is 
a  good  thing.  If  it  is  fed  by  hand  during  tlie  day  it  will  not 
beg  or  tease  its  parents  for  feed  as  much  as  it  would  if  hungry 
and  so  would  get  less  feed  from  its  parents. 

If  you  have  three  or  four  squabs  in  one  nest  it  is  not  a  bad 
plan  to  feel  their  crops  at  night  and  either  change  any  that 
have  empty  crops  to  other  nests  or  hand  feed  them  a  little. 

A  hand  fed  squab  will  do  better  if  you  can  slip  him  in  a  nest 


132  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTiQRE 

every  day  or  so  wliere  he  will  be  fed  by  an  old  bird,  or  if  you 
can  exchange  the  squabs  that  you  are  hand  feeding  for  other 
squabs  daily,  it  is  better,  for  then  the  same  squabs  will  not  be 
hand  fed  constantly. 

A  breeder  with  a  large  plant  will  always  have  young  squabs 
in  other  nests  about  the  same  size  and  thus  be  able  to  have  any 
orphan  squabs  fed  by  foster  parents,  so  that  hand  feeding  will 
not,  as  a  rule,  be  necessary. 

HELPFUL  REMEDIES 

The  experience  of  others  is  always  worth  something  and  so  I 
quote  in  part  from  John  S.  McCreight: 

Pigeons  in  general  have  fewer  diseases  and  ailments  than 
chickens  and  less  doctoring  is  necessary.  There  are  times, 
however,  when  a  little  medicine  or  tonic  is  absolutely  necessary, 
and  if  given  in  time  will  prove  beneficial  to  those  needing  it 
and  act  as  a  preventative  to  those  not  afflicted. 

Pigeons  are  active  and  full  of  life  when  in  good  health,  and 
are  without  doubt  the  liveliest  and  most  hustling  family  of  the 
feathered  tribe. 

A  bird  when  off  his  feed  or  sick  is  soon  noticeable.  You  will 
see  it  huddled  off  to  itself,  feathers  all  turned  up  and  its  head 
in  between  its  shoulders.  You  know  the  moment  you  see  it  that 
sometliing  is  wrong. 

Now,  to  find  what  is  the  matter.  Catch  the  bird  and  examine 
its  throat;  see  if  there  are  any  sores  or  ulcers  in  the  throat.  If 
you  find  yellow  pimples  it  doubtless  has  canker. 

If  you  find  nothing  wrong  with  the  throat,  examine  the  "craw." 
If  it  is  full  and  nuisliy  and  the  breath  of  the  bird  is  bad,  it  has 
"sour  craw." 

If  neither  of  the  above  are  found  and  you  are  not  experienced 
in  pigeon  raising,  you  are  rather  up  against  it.  There  are  a 
good  many  things  that  would  make  the  bird  act  the  way  it  does. 
If  a  young  female,  she  might  be  egg-bound,  or  the  bird  might 
be  going  light.  If  you  cannot  determine  what  is  wrong,  pull  out 
the  bird's  tail — all  the  feathers — give  it  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
castor  oil  and  put  in  a  coop  by  itself.  Give  plenty  of  fresh 
water  and  some  stale  bread  crumbs  and  a  little  hemp.  The 
chances  are  that  with  this  treatment  the  bird  will  be  all  right 
in  a  few  days. 


PIGEON  DISEASES  ANID  REMEDIES  133 

It  takes  very  little  medicine  around  the  lolt  and  a  mighty 
good  idea  is  "not  to  doctor" — go  on  the  principle  of  leaving  well 
enough  alone.  Should  you  happen  to  need  medicine  for  a  sick 
bird,  I  will  give  you  a  few  remedies: 

A  tonic  to  put  in  their  drinking  water  that  I  have  used  for 
several  years  and  found  very  satisfactory  is  given  below.  I  have 
given  this  every  spring  and  every  fall  and  it  is  about  the  only 
tonic  I  use.  It  can  be  filled  at  any  drug  store  and  costs  generally 
about  35  cents. 

Tonic. — Copperas,  one-half  ounce;  sulphate  of^soda,  four 
ounces,  gentian  root  (powdered)  one-half  ounce;  phosphate  of 
soda,  two  ounces,  and  pure  creosote  (Beechwood),  one  dram. 
The  creosote  must  first  be  rubbed  well  in  a  mortar  with  about 
40  graii:|S  of  calcined  magnesia.  Put  the  creosote,  after  being 
prepared,  in  two  quarts  of  hot  water,  stir  well  and  gradually 
add  the  other  ingredients,  then  set  away  and  keep  in  a  cool 
place.  Dose:  One  tablespoonful  to  a  gallon  of  water,  and  have 
no  other  water  in  the  fly  pen.  Give  them  this  once  or  twice  a* 
month  and  it  will  likely  keep  them  in  good  condition. 

Diarrhoea. — Two  drops  of  laudanum.  Put  bird  in  dry  clean 
coop;  no  water  or  feed  for  twenty-four  hours.  Repeat  dose  in 
six  to  ten  hours,  if  needed.  Feed  toasted,  very  brown  bread 
crumbs  for  a  couple  of  days,  then  a  little  hemp  and  then  on 
regular  feed. 

Canker.— Put  in  the  bird's  throat,  on  the  sores,  some  burned 
alum  or  you  can  use  a  little  tincture  of  iodine.  However,  my 
remedy  is  the  axe  and  I  immediately  break  up  the  mating  that 
produced  the  canker  squab.  Watch  this  pair  carefully  and  see 
which  of  the  parent  birds  is  responsible  and  get  the  one  respon- 
sible out  of  the  loft. 

If  a  bird  doesn't  eat  like  it  should  and  shows  a  poor  appetite, 
give  one  grain  gentian  root. 

Epsom  salts  is  used  by  a  great  many  in  the  summer.  Put 
a  teaspoonful  Epsom  salts  to  a  quart  of  water  and  give  no  other 
drinking  water.  For  a  large  number  of  birds  increase  the 
quantity  in  the  same  proportion. 

Cod  liver  oil  is  good  to  use  on  a  bird  off  its  feed.  Dose:  Three 
drops  at  a  time,  say,  three  times  a  day. 

Hypophosphites  of  lime  and  soda  is  also  fine  for  a  "going  light" 
bird  .  Dose:  One-fourth  of  a  grain,  three  times  a  day. 


l.'li  AMEniCAN    SQUAB    CULTttRti 

Sour  Craw. — This  is  caused  from  several  causes,  chief  of  which 
is  not  feeding  the  birds  reguhirly.  You  miss  a  feed  and  then  the 
birds  get  very  hungry.  When  you  do  feed  them  they  eat  too 
much,  drink  water  and  the  food  becomes  sour  before  it  is  di- 
gested. The  treatment  is  to  liokl  the  bird  upside  down  and 
gra(hially  work  the  food  out  of  its  craw.  Don't  try  to  get  the 
food  out  too  rai)idly,  l)ut  work  easy  and  gently.  Give  the  l)ird 
a  little  fresh  water  when  you  have  the  craw  cleaned  and  bread 
crumbs.  Let  it  stay  in  the  coop  until  it  is  well,  gradually  adding 
grain  to  the  daily  feed  until  it  is  able  to  go  on  regular  rations, 
but  as  I  have  said  before  the  best  remedy  is  to  feed,  water  and 
house  birds  properly,  and  in  this  way  prevent  diseases.  Pigeons 
are  naturally  very  healthy  and  will  keep  well  if  conditions  are 
rii?ht. 


CHAPTER   XI 
MATING  AND   SELECTION  OF   BREEDING  STOCK 

HOW  PIGEONS  MATE 

Pigeons  will  mate  and  go  to  raising  s(ivial)s  under  almost 
any  conditions.  Naturally,  they  will  mate  and  do  l)etter  under 
lavorable  conditions  than  otherwise. 

Almost  any  male  or  female  pigeon  \\ill  mate  \\itli  almost  any 
other  male  or  female,  regardless  of  size,  color  or  kind,  provided, 
of  course,  they  are  given  an  opportunity  to  mate  by  shutting 
them  up  together,  or  ])utting  them  in  a  pen  where  there  are  no 
other  unmated  birds.  If  ten,  twenty  or  more  females  are  put 
into  a  pen  with  an  equal  number  of  males,  in  time  there  will 
be  as  many  mated  pairs,  as  there  are  males  and  females  com- 
bined in  the  pen.  That  is  to  say,  if  20  males  were  put  in  with  20 
females  and  19  of  each  mated,  the  twentieth  male  and  twentieth 
female  would  then  mate,  there  being  no  other  odd  birds  in  the 
pen  for  them  to  mate  with.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  pigeons  do  very 
little  choosing  when  it  comes  to  selecting  mates.  The  time, 
place,  and  condition  of  the  birds  has  more  to  do  with  their 
pairing  up  than  any  particular  attraction  that  one  bird  might 
have  for  another  bird  of  the  opposite  sex. 

For  instance,  if  a  male  has  no  place  to  mate,  he  is  not  apt  to 
want  to  mate,  but  if  he  has  a  home,  so  to  speak,  (a  place  to 
build  a  nest  that  he  considers  his  private  property),  he  will 
protect  that  place  from  all  other  birds,  and  it  will  be  his  natural 
prolific  instinct  to  secure  a  mate  and  go  to  housekeeping.  When 
he  is  in  this  mood,  he  will  go  to  his  nesting  box,  or  place  he 
controls,  and  call  for  a  female  by  successive  long,  cooing  sounds. 
He  will  keep  this  up  for  hours  at  a  time.  If  there  is  an  im- 
mated  female  in  the  pen,  such  cooing  is  "sweet  music  to  her 
ears,"  and  will  attract  her  to  the  nest  or  place  where  the  male 
is.  She  will  find  him  in  a  squatting  position,  and  generally 
slightly  flapping  or  quivering  one  wing,  as  he  coos  or  calls. 
To  signify  her  willingness  to  mate,  she  will  fly  up  to  the  en- 
trance of  the  nest  with  her  wings  slightly  held  out  froni  hei 

135 


J  36  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

body  alighting,  with  her  neck  feathers  puffed  out,  which  gives 
her,  as  a  whole,  a  very  mild  and  pleasing  appearance.  While 
the  male  is  anxious  for  a  female  to  come,  he,  nevertheless,  con- 
siders her  an  intruder,  as  far  as  his  house  is  concerned,  and, 
therefore,  at  first  he  will  not  let  her  come  into  the  nest  box  or 
get  too  familiar  on  his  promises.  He  will  tight  her  away  vigor- 
ously, and  then  go  back  and  resume  his  calling.  The  female 
not  to  be  discouraged,  will  return  again  and  again,  until  finally 
the  male  will  let  her  come  into  the  nesting  box,  which  place  she 
will  enter,  strutting  and  prancing  in  a  very  sprightly  manner. 
She  will  rush  right  in  almost  on  top  of  the  male  and  pick  him 
on  the  head  and  neck.  For  a  time  he  will  chase  her  away  and 
then  finally  submit.  If  they  are  not  disturbed  or  separated  at 
this  point,  they  will  soon  consider  themselves  mated,  but  the 
courtship  and  lovemaking  does  not  end  here. 

Newly  mated  pairs  can  be  found  at  almost  any  hour,  for  sev- 
eral days  after  they  have  mated,  squatting  together  in  the  nest- 
ing place;  the  male  now  having  changed  his  long  loud  coos  to 
short,  low  tones,  uttered  in  quick  succession.  The  female  will 
also  coo  a  little  during  this  period,  but  her  cooing  is  not  as  loud 
or  as  coarse  as  the  male.  The  same  lovemaking  will  take  place 
each  time  before  a  nest  is  built  for  a  new  setting  of  eggs  and 
squabs,  but  only  for  short  periods.  Like  people,  their  longest 
honeymoon  is  at  the  start. 

Tf  the  female  has  no  mate  and  does  not  hear  any  calling 
or  long  cooing,  she  will  signify  her  desire  to  mate  by  prancing 
up  and  down  with  her  wings  spread  away  from  her  body,  slight- 
ly, and  now  and  then  strutting  with  her  tail  on  the  ground. 
She  will  show  these  signs  particularly  strong  as  she  lights  after 
short  flights  from  one  place  to  another.  Males  that  already 
have  mated  will  be  attracted  by  this  flirtation,  and  often  take 
advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  court  unmated  females  when 
they  see  them  strutting  around  in  this  fashion.  While  the  male 
does  not  intend  to  permanently  mate  with  the  female,  she  does 
not  seem  to  know  this,  and  takes  him  to  be  sincere  (human 
nature).  Sometimes  a  male  will  become  so  fascinated  and 
interested  with  his  new  prospective  spouse,  that  he  will  desert 
his  regular  mate  even  though  she  might  have  eggs  or  young 
squabs.  In  fact,  such  a  condition  is  more  apt  to  happen  if  she 
has  eggs,  for  the  reason  if  she  is  on  eggs  she  does  not  see  him; 


MATING  AND  SELECTION  OF  BREEDING  STOCK 


137 


Otherwise,  if  she  is  there  on  the  spot,  a^d  sees  what  is  going  on, 
she  will  immediately  interfere  and  gi/vei  Miss  Flirting  Female  a 
good  picking;  but,  strange  to  say,  she  jdoes  not  seem  to  blame 
her  mate,  and  lays  all  the  blame  on  ftht  weaker  sex. 


PAIR  OF  CARNEAUX 
Picture'  shows  cock  in  the  act  of  cooing  to  his  mate, 
just  beginning  to  build  another  nest. 


This  pair  is 


If  there  is  an  odd  mal^  in  the  pen,  he  is  apt  to  cause  consid- 
erable damage,  especially  if  he  has  secured  a  nest  and  has 
worked  laboriously  to  entice  some  prospective  mate  to  his  home. 
Then  he  will  change  his  tactics,  by  the  rule  that  might  makes 


138  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

right,  and  proceeds  to  try  and  win  him  a  mate  by  physical 
power.  If  he  can  succeed  in  wliipping  some  other  male  away 
from  his  nest,  breaking  up  the  family,  it  is  possible  for  him  to 
secure  a  mate  in  that  way;  l)ut  by  liis  undertaking,  he  generally 
onh'  succeeds  in  breaking  eggs,  killing  young  squabs  and  wear- 
ing out  himself  and  his  antjigonist,  without  getting  the  female 
to  desert  her  former  mate. 

The  female  will  invariably  contribute  to  the  defense  of  her 
liome,  and  try  to  protect  her  young  ones.  It  is  not  desirable, 
therefore,  to  have  either  odd  females  or  odd  males  in  a  loft  of 
working  birds.  It  is  better  to  have  an  even  number  of  males 
and  females,  for  invariably  they  will  find  each  other  and  mate 
up.  The  best  mating  plan  is  to  take  an  equal  number  of  odd 
males  and  females,  and  shut  them  up  together  until  they  mate, 
and  then  turn  them  in  with  the  regular  mated  birds. 

As  stated  previously,  a  male  can  be  mated  with  almost  any 
female,  regardless  of  color,  size  or  kind;  so  if  you  desire  to  mate 
any  particular  male  with  any  particular  female,  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  shut  them  up  together  for  a  few  days.  Of  course, 
they  should  i)e  given  food,  water  and  grit  duiing  that  time,  and 
should  hav<'  a  place  wliere  it  would  be  possible  for  them  to 
make  i'  nest.  Large  space,  however,  is  not  necessary.  A  small 
COO})  with  two  ()•  three  s(p:are  feet  of  floor  space  is  all  that  is 
need<Ml.  The  mating  coop  should  be  sufficiently  ventilated,  yet 
free  fi'oni  di'afts,  as  birds  will  catch  cold  c[uicker  shut  up  in  a 
sjiiall   place  than  in  an  open  iooiii. 

Nev/ly  mated  bi'c's  must  be  left  together  long  enoiigh  to  be- 
come well  mated  before  i)utting  them  in  with  other  birds  lest 
they  separate,  it  they  are  to  be  put  back  where  their  old  mates 
are,  they  must  ])v  kei't  away  several  weeks  or  they  will  likely 
separate  and  go  back  to  their  old  mates. 

The  statcniejit  that  any  i»igeon  will  mate  with  most  any  other 
l)igeon  does  not  mean  that  I  sanction  or  believe  in  the  plan  of 
crossing  breeds.  On  the  contraiy,  I  am  very  muclj  opposed  to 
crossing  IhuhmIs,  as  it  is  not  i)ractical  to  create  new  breeds,  and 
mongrels  generally  inherit  the  inferior  qualities  of  both  parents. 
Elsewhere  in  tliis  book,  will  be  foinid  an  article  on  this  sul)ject. 


MATING  AND  SELECTION  OF  BREPJDING  STOCK  139 

HOW  TO  TELL  MALE  FROM  FEMALE 

With  most  breeds  of  pigeons,  the  male  is  a  little  larger  than 
the  female.  He  has  a  coarser  look,  thicker  neck  and  larger  legs 
and  feet.  These  differences  can  only  he  readily  noticed  by  com 
parison  or  by  those  who  are  not  only  familiar  with  ])igeons, 
hut  with  that  particular  breed.  The  age  of  the  hiids  nnist  be 
cci  sidered.  An  old  female  is  apt  to  be  taken  for  a  young  male  if 
one  is  judging  by  looks  only  or  comparing  two  males  or  two 
females  of  different  age.  In  such  a  case  they  are  apt  to  pick 
the  old  bird  for  the  male  and  the  younger  for  the  female.  As  a 
rule  the  male  is  more  muscular,  stronger  and  masculine.  The 
best  method  to  use,  however,  to  tell  the  sex  is  to  watch  the  birds 
in   their  everyday  life. 

There  are  many  ways  that  I  can  tell  the  female  from  tlie 
male  that  it  would  be  difficult  for  me  to  fully  ex})lain.  For  in- 
stance, thry  drink  and  eat  differently.  The  difference  is  so  slight 
that  you  can  only  learn  it  by  experience  in  watching  them,  A 
male  will  fly  a  little  different  than  a  female  on  special  occasions. 
Their  general  carriage  and  actions  in  the  fly  pen  and  loft  are 
different,  all  of  which  is  hard  to  describe,  but  can  be  detected 
if  you  will  give  the  matter  careful  study  and  attention. 

Heie  are  some  of  tlic  most  common  ways  of  distinguishing 
the  sexes:  the  female  bird  can  be  found  on  the  nest  when  slie 
has  eggs  or  small  squabs  early  in  the  morning,  late  in  the  after- 
noon, or  at  night.  The  male  is  on  the  nest  between  9  or  10 
o'clock  and  3  or  4  o'clock,  except  during  the  laying  period,  when 
the  female  is  apt  to  be  on  the  nest  any  time  during  the  day. 
The  male  carries  the  straws  to  build  the  nest  with,  and  the 
female  sets  on  the  nest  and  arranges  them  in  order.  The  male 
will  usually  get  in  the  nest  box  and  call  its  mate  by  long, 
cooing,  monotone  sounds,  when  they  are  mating  up,  or  just 
prior  to  building  a  nest.  A  male  will  fight  quicker  and  harder 
than  a  female.  A  male  will  whirl  clear  aroimd  when  he  is 
cooing  on  the  floor  or  in  the  fly  pen,  while  the  female,  if  she 
coos  at  all,  will  not  turn  over  a  quarter  or  lialf  way  round.  A 
male  will  strut  along  after  another  bird,  coo  and  drag  his  tail 
on  the  ground,  walking  around  in  a  proud,  prancing  way,  with 
his  head  up  and  neck  swelled  out.  A  female  will  do  very 
little  strutting  and  will  carry  her  body  more  horizontally  as  she 


140  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

stmts,  and  will  do  very  little  cooing.  The  feathers  on  the  end 
of  the  male's  tail  are  generally  worn  out  and  the  feathers  on 
the  female's  tail  are  usually  in  perfect  condition.  This  is  caused 
hy  the  male  dragging  his  tail  on  the  ground  when  strutting  and, 
as  a  rule,  is  a  very  good  means  of  telling  the  sex. 

After  a  pair  of  pigeons  have  become  mated,  they  will  he  found 
together  more  or  less  until  they  lay  and  go  to  setting.  They  gen- 
erally start  to  building  a  nest  several  days  before  they  lay  and 
during  that  time  they  do  a  lot  of  spooning,  lovemaking  or 
kissing.  Here  again  the  male  bird  can  be  distinguished  from 
the  female  by  its  actions.  The  male  bird  will  pick  behind  one 
wing  at  intervals  during  the  billing  process.  The  male  bird 
then  opens  his  mouth  or  beak,  in  which  the  female  inserts  her 
beak,  and  the  two  go  through  a  pumping  like  motion.  This  is 
called  kissing.  Billing  is  another  term  for  kissing.  If  a  male 
birds  wants  to  kiss,  and  the  female  is  not  particular,  \ic.  will  walk 
around  picking  himself  under  the  wing  and  working  his  throat 
like  h(^  was  swallowing  something.  If  a  female  wants  to  kiss 
and  the  male  is  indisposed,  she  will  run  up  to  his  side,  and 
stietch  her  head  up  to  his,  fumbling  around  his  beak  and  over 
his  head  with  her  beak.  The  male  seems  to  enjoy  this  and  will 
often  sit  down  and  shut  his  eyes,  while  the  female  keeps  up  her 
fondling. 

There  are  several  old-fashioned  tests  for  determining  the  sex 
of  pigeons,  hut  I  have  never  found  any  of  them  very  dependable. 
It  is  said  that  if  you  catch  a  female  around  the  body,  holding 
her  wings  down  to  her  body  with  both  hands,  then  throw  the 
hands  up  and  down,  she  will  throw  her  tail  up,  while  the  male 
held  in  the  same  position  and  with  the  same  movement  will 
throw  his  tail  down. 

Another  test  is  made  in  the  dark  with  a  candle  or  lamp.  The 
male  is  supposed  to  look  directly  at  the  light  and  the  female 
to  one  side.  All  such  tests  more  or  less  remind  me  of  the  fel- 
low who  said  he  positively  could  tell  a  male  from  a  female  by 
throwing  some  hemp  in  where  the  bird  was.  Then,  if  he  ate 
the  hemp,  it  was  a  he,  and  if  she  ate  it,  it  was  a  she. 

A  fairly  good  sex  test  is  to  feel  of  the  vent  bones.  On  the  male 
they  are  generally  very  close  together,  and  on  the  female  they 
are  se|)aiated,  one-half  inch  or  more.  This  test  applies  better 
with  birds  a  year  old  or  more,  or  after  they  have  started  to  lay. 


.MATING  AND  SELECTION  OF  BREEDING  STOCK  141 

The  vent  bones  of  a  female  are  separated  enough  to  permit  the 
laying  of  an  egg.  The  habits  of  the  male  and  female  aie  very 
different  and  by  a  little  experience,  study  and  close  obseivation 
it  becomes  rather  easy  to  distinguish  one  from  the  other. 

THE  GROWTH  OF  A  SQUAB 

Pigeons  mate  and  start  to  raising  squabs  between  the  age  of 
live  and  eiglit  months.  They  lay  two  eggs  only  for  a  setting,  the 
hrst  egg  generally  being  laid  in  the  morning  and  the  next  egg  the 


SQUABS  SEVERAL  DAYS  OLD 


142  AMERICAN     SQUAB     CULTURE 

third  inoniiiip:  tlioi-raflcr,  1Ii(M(>  hriii^^  no  egg  laid  the  second 
day.  Aft(  I-  the  second  r^x^  is  hiid,  1li(>\  immediately  go  to  set- 
ting. If  tli(>  weather  is  extr(Mnel.\  cold  the  mother  hird  will 
liover  Hie  liist  egg  sii  Ifieienl  l\  enoiigli  to  keep  from  freezing, 
i)nt  not  enongli  to  start  ineuhation  until  the  second  egg  is  laid; 
thus  the  hatching  of  th(>  two  c>ggs  takes  place  ahout  the  same 
time.  It  takes  seventeen  days  for  pigeon  eggs  to  hatch  after 
the  i)igeon  staits  to  set.  As  ex|)lained  elsewhere,  the  male  hiVd 
takes  his  turn  dail>    on  the  n(  st  with  the  female. 

When  the  s(|nahs  are  lirst  hatclnd,  they  are  very  tender  and 
delicate,  more  lik(>  a  hahx  than  a  chicken  from  the  standpoint  of 
Ix'ing  helphss.  The  parent  hiids  cover  theii"  young  ones  for 
several  days  alt(  i-  they  ai'c  hatched  to  keep  them  from  chilling 
e\(M)  in  waim  wcathcM',  and  for  a  longer  period  in  cold  weather. 

rntil  a  sfjual)  is  four  or  live  da\s  old  it  camiot  take  grain 
iido  its  crop,  and  is  fed  a  gruel-like  sid)stance  called  pigeon 
milk  that  foinis  in  the  crop  of  the  parent  hirds  after  they  have 
heen  setting  ahout  IT)  da\s.  TIkmi  the  pai'ent  hirds  hegin  to  feed 
them  tniall  grain,  which  is  always  mixed  with  a  good  portion 
of  water,  k(('j)ing  the  Noung  oih^s'  crops  well  filled  at  all  times. 
The  young  hirds  grow    vci\'  rapidix". 

A  pigeon  v^^  is  ahout  the  size  of  a  hickorx'  imt,  a  scpial)  four 
(la\s  old  is  twice  the  siz(>  of  a  hickor\  nut,  and  when  a  W(M>k  old 
is  as  large  as  a  hens  o^f^ii;  oi'  small  chicken.  Tli(\v  contimie  to 
donhle  in  size  ahout  (-vei>'  week,  until  11i(\\"  are  as  larg(»  as  the 
old  hird  at  four  and  one- half  weeks  old.  When  a  scpiah  is  first 
hatched  it  is  covered  with  a  very  fine  dow  n  like  a  small  chicken, 
pin  feathers  start  ii!  the  wings  and  tail  and  along  the  top  of  its 
hack  innnediateh'.  At  two  wc(»ks  of  ag(^  it  is  well  covered  with 
pin  feathers,  and  the  featluMs  are  de\(*loi)e(l  to  such  an  extent 
tluft  its  color  can  he  fairl>-  well  determined.  At  four  weeks  of 
age  it  is  fcatli(>rcd  out  almost  comi)letely  with  little  l)are  spaces 
on  its  side  under  the  wings.  \Mi(mi  the  hare  space  under  tlie 
wings  is  covered  with  featluMs,  then  the  s(piah  is  old  enough  to 
kill,  and  if  not  killed  it  will  soon  leave  the  nest. 

S(iuahs  do  not  leave  the  nest  or  fly  until  they  are  four  and 
a  half  or  five  weeks  old,  and  they  cannot  feed  themselves  until 
after  tiiat  age.  Once  a  sfjuah  leaves  the  nest  it  starts  to  getting 
pool",  which  is  caused  hy  ex(M'cise  and  the  lack  of  IxMug  stuffed 
with  food  hy  its  parents.     A  squah  should  he  killetl  and  market- 


MATING  AND  SEI.ErTTON  OF  BREEDTNn  STOCK 


143 


ed  before  it  leaves  the  nest    It  begins  to  get  tough  and  is  not 
very  good  to  eat  after  five  w^ieeks  of  age. 

The  quick  mushroom  growth  and  the  lack  of  exercise  is  what 
makes  squab  meat  so  tender  and  delicious.  Some  ])reedcrs  have 
classified  squabs  by  giving  them  different  names  at  different 
ages.  They  are  first  called  peepers,  as  they  make  a  small  peep- 
ing noise  about  the  time  they  are  ten  days  old;  they  are  next 
called  squeakers  until  they  are  two  or  three  weks  old,  then 
squealers  until  they  arc  four  weeks  old,  when  they  are  called 
squabs.  These  names  are  taken  from  the  noise  that  a  scpiab 
makes.  They  first  peep,  then  squeak,  then  squeal  when  they  are 
hungry  and  wish  to  l)e  fed,  and  will  keep  up  llic  s(piealing  noise 
vuitil  seveu  or  eight  weeks  old. 


SQUAB  TWO  WEEKS   OLD 


144  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

Squabs  have  a  larger  beak  than  old  pigeons,  and  this  furnishes 
a  good  means  of  distinguishing  squabs  from  old  birds.  Until 
they  are  eight  to  ten  weeks  old  the  beak  is  very  soft  and  ap- 
pears large.  One  reason  for  this  is  the  lack  of  feathers  around 
the  beak,  which  grow  down  as  the  bird  gets  older. 

ANATOMY  OF  THE  PIGEON 

Mr.  J.  W.  Williamson  of  Glassboro,  N.  J.,  has  been  kind 
enough  to  furnish  me  the  drawings  of  the  inside  of  a  pigeon 
which  are  here  reproduced  together  with  his  description  of  same: 

How  true  is  the  saying:  "We  are  fearfully  and  wonderfully 
made,"  and  as  we  study  the  frame  of  men  with  its  wonderful 
organism  held  intact  and  the  wonderful  mechanism  of  each 
organ,  one  depending  upon  the  other  fulfilling  their  several 
tunctions  with  the  heart  pumping  away  day  and  night  from 
birth  till  death,  it  is  no  wonder  we  look  with  amazement  at  our 
own  construction.  But  can  we  not  find  something  interesting 
m  tlie  construction  of  the  squab  or  pigeon?  I  believe  we  can, 
which  will  be  fully  covered  in  a  book  I  have  well  under  way, 
entitled:  "The  Anatomy  of  the  Pigeon."  In  this  chapter  how- 
ever, will  be  found  three  important  plates,  the  squab,  male  bird 
jmd  female,  which  I  believe  of  value  to  the  squab  raiser. 

It  is  surprising  to  note  how  fully  developed  are  the  organs  of 
a  squab,  as  when  only  four  weeks  old.  The  respiratory  organs, 
the  heart,  liver,  gizzard  and  intestines  appear  as  fully  devel- 
oped as  a  bird  one  or  fifteen  years  old,  and  the  carcass  in  many 
cases  the  same  size  as  its  parents,  but  with  fowls  it  takes  a 
squab  broiler  chick  a  year  to  get  the  growth  of  its  parents. 

Plate  I.  is  a  photograph  of  a  squab  4  weeks  old.  Figure  1 
shows  the  heart  on  the  right  side,  just  the  reverse  of  the  human 
being,  2  the  liver,  3  the  gizzard  and  4  tlie  intestines. 

In  dissecting  a  female  pigeon  the  first  thing  that  excites  a 
peison's  curiosity  is  the  difference  between  a  female  and  female 
fowl.  As  will  be  noticed  in  the  ovary,  commonly  called  the  egg 
bag,  there  is  not  a  large  quantity  of  eggs  as  there  is  in  a  fowl- 
In  a  fowl  they  gradually  increase  in  size  due  to  laying  every 
day  or  skipi)ing  a  day  now  and  then.  But  with  the  pigeon  they 
are  noticed  in  pairs  as  the  pigeon  lays  two  eggs  close  together, 
and  then  does  not  lay  again  until  the  embryo  is  grown  into  a 
squab,  2,  3  or  4  weeks  old. 


MATING  AND  SELECTION  OF  BREBiDiNG  STOCK  145 


THE  INSIDE   OF  A  SQUAB 
1.  The  Heart.    2.  The  Liver.    3.  The  Gizzard.     4.  The  Intestines. 


146 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


1, — Aesophagus 
2. — Trachea 
3. — Bronchial   Tube 
4. — Lung 
5. — Testicle 
6.— Kidney 


ALALIO    I'KJICOX 

7. — Ureter 
8. — Vas   Deferens 
9. — Rectum 
10. — Vent  Bones 
11. — Anus 


MATING  AXD  SELECTION  OF  BREEDING  STOCK 


147 


jzc   ^^Bk 

hm 

m^r 1 

mm  -^ 

M^gjihx 

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1 

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3- 
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FEMALE    PIGEON 
1. — Two    small   eggs   with   the   ovary. 
2. — Two  eggs  a  triflle  smaller  than  the  above. 
.3. — Two  that  are  about  ready  to  enter  the  oviduct. 
4. — Oviduct. 

5. — Egg  almost  ready  to  be  released. 

fi. — lOxiended  vent  bones,  showing  the  great  distance  betwvien 
them  compared  to  the  male  bird. 


'lOPERTY  UBKAttl 

L  C  State  Coikii 

148  AMERICAN     SQUAB     CULTURE 

HOW  TO  KEEP  AN  EQUAL  NUMBER  OF  MALES 
AND  FEMALES 

One  ol  the  clillicultics  of  a  squab  plant  is  to  \\vv{)  down  tlie 
percentage  of  extra  cocks,  which  accuniniate  in  excess  of  fe- 
males for  various  reasons.  Ii\  this  respect  nature  seems  to  be 
at  fault,  for  there  is  not  a  single  exception  in  the  favor  of  the 
life  of  a  female  over  the  life  of  a  male. 

If  one  egg  fails  to  hatch,  invariably  it  is  the  female  egg.  If 
a  young  squab  gets  trampled  to  death  in  the  nest,  it  is  usually 
the  smallest  one,  which  is  generally  the  female.  The  male  and 
larger  scjuab  crowds  the  smaller  ones  away  at  the  feeding  time 
and  in  such  cases  the  larger  squabs  continue  to  grow  antl  get 
strong  and  the  small  ones,  the  females,  stand  back  and  some- 
times starve  to  death. 

Females  are  more  delicate  and  subject  to  colds  and  this  often- 
times causes  their  death.  They  are  often  driven  so  hard  by 
the  niale!^;that  they  get  poor  and  finally  die.  The  natural  life 
of  a  female  is  shorter  than  the  life  of  the  male. 

^\'ith  th(»se  things  taken  into  consideration  there  is  usually 
quite  a  percentage  of  odd  cocks  to  be  disposed  of,  unless  one 
manipulates  and  disposes  of  the  male  bird  as  a  squab.  By  a 
systematic  method,  one  can  guard  against  the  over  production 
of  male  birds,  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  make  a  sciuab 
plant  as  profitable  as  possible. 

The  larger  squab  in.  the  nest  is  invariably  tlie  male,  so  in 
taking  them  out  of  the  nest  for  market  purposes,  one  should 
save  a  few  of  the  smaller  ones  for  breeding  purposes.  It  is  a 
good  plan  to  band  these  birds  then  and  there,  so  that  the  next 
time  you  are  around  gathering  squabs,  you  wdll  know  that  the 
odd  squab  in  the  nest  is  a  female.  It  is  hard  to  tell  the  sex  of 
young  birds,  especially  at  squabbing  time,  unless  you  are  famil- 
iar with  the  flock. 

Different  flocks  of  ])ir(ls  have  different  characteristic  markings 
that  enable  one  to  determine  the  male  from  the  female  the  ma- 
jority of  the  time.  This  is  especially  true  wdth  color  marking.  For 
instance,  most  of  the  male  birds  from  a  certain  pair  will  be 
marked  in  a  similar  way  and  most  of  the  females  will  also  have 
a  separate  marking.  In  such  cases  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  tell 
the  sex  of  the  young  birds  as  soon  as  they  get  their  feathers. 


MATING  AND  SELECTION  OF  BREEDING  STOCK  149 

One  of  the  best  ways  to  keep  the  sex  even  is  to  cull  out  the 
smaller  inferior  males  and  remate  their  mates  with  young 
cocks  of  size  and  quality.  This  can  be  done  without  loss  of  squab 
production,  if  the  remating  is  done  when  there  are  no  eggs 
or  young  that  would  be  neglected  or  .when  there  is  but  one  egg 
or  one  squab  that  can  be  transferred  to  another  nest.  See 
articles  "When  But  One  Egg  Hatches"  and  "How  To  Tell  the 
Period  of  Incubation,"  pages  155  and  156. 

WHAT  TO  DO  WITH  ODD  COCKS 

A  gootl  method  is  to  have  a  separate  pen  for  odtl  cocks  and 
nothing  but  good,  high  grade  cocks  should  be  kept  in  that  pen. 
The  small  and  runty  ones  should  be  disposed  of  or  turned  loose 
or  iido  soup.  Then  as  fast  as  your  young  females  get  old 
enough  to  mate,  they  should  be  turned  into  the  pen  of  odd  cocks, 
or  a  still  better  plan  is  to  select  special  birds  from  your  odd 
cock  pen  and  put  them  in  equal  numbers  with  young  females 
in  another  pen.  As  soon  as  mated  each  pair  should  be  taken 
out  and  put  in  with  other  breeders.  This  method  will  cause 
the  female  to  mate  up  a  little  earlier  than  they  would  with 
yoiuig  cocks  and  will  enable  you  to  grade  your  flock  up  by 
selecting  your  best  odd  males  for  your  young  females. 

You  can  also  draw  from  your  pen  of  odd  cocks  to  replace  small 
and  inferior  males  that  you  notice  from  time  to  time  in  your 
plant.  It  is  better  to  dispose  of  any  inferior  odd  male  even  if 
you  have  to  give  it  away,  than  to  keep  it,  for  it  only  consumes 
feed  and  will  never  be  of  any  value  for  breeding  purposes. 

You  will  always  have  more  cocks  than  hens  for  breeding  pur- 
l)oses,  so  why  keep  inferior  odd  cocks  at  a  dead  loss  and  expense? 
Keep  only  the  extra  good  ones  and  turn  the  others  loose,  give 
them  away  to  people  that  might  be  able  to  use  them,  or  make 
soup  out  of  them,  but  don't  keep  them. 

BEST  METHOD  TO  IMPROVE  THE  QUALITY  OF  A  FLOCK 

Most  people  start  at  the  wrong  end  or  backwards  to  improve 
the  quality  of  a  flock  of  breeders.  If  a  majority  of  a  flock  of 
birds  was  perfect,  it  might  be  better  to  separate  the  perfect  birds, 
then  discard  the  others,  but  as  a  perfect  bird  is  practically  im- 
pos:-*ible,  and  a  large  majority  of  every  flock  is  far  from  perfect, 
it  is  best  to  start  in  at  the  inferior  end  to  improve  the  flock. 


15C  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

If  you  should  pick  out  your  best  birds  aud  put  them  by  them- 
selves, you  would  reduce  the  average  quality  of  yo\u'  pens;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  if  you  eliminate  your  poorest  and  infeiior  birds, 
you  improve  the  average  quality  of  your  flock, 

I  have  tried  out  a  plan  of  segregating  my  most  perfect  birds 
into  a  single  pen  and  saving  their  offspring  to  improve  my 
breeding  stock.  This,  in  a  way,  will  work  fairly  well,  but  as 
all  the  offspring  of  all  good  looking  pairs  are  not  up  to  the 
standard  of  their  parents,  one  would  be  making  slow  progress 
in  saving  such  birds  for  breeding  purposes,  even  though  they 
come  from  birds  of  apparent  quality.  I  have  noticed  many 
people  practice  this  method,  and  invariably  they  save  from  their 
best  pens  youngsters  for  breeding  purposes  which  are  far  inferior 
to  the  best  youngsters  i)roduced  in  otlier  pens. 

One  should  go  through  his  plant  once  or  twice  a  week  spotting 
birds  to  be  taken  out,  when  by  doing  so  no  eggs  or  yovuig  Will 
be  lost.  For  instance,  we  see  a  small,  under-average  cock  in 
pen  No.  10.  We  investigate  and  find  that  he  is  also  a  slow- 
breeder  or  that  his  squabs  are  not  large  and  fat  as  a  iiil<\  We 
then  decide  to  take  him  and  his  mate  out.  We  find,  ho\\ever, 
that  they  have  eggs  or  young  ones,  so  we  make  a  calculation 
as  to  the  time  they  can  be  removed  and  on  tliat  date  we  finish 
the  work  started  a  week  or  even  a  month  before.  The  mate,  if 
a  good  average  bii'd,  is  lemated  with  a  good  cock  and  put  back 
to  work.  All  culled  out  birds  can  be  used  for  soup,  sold  on  the 
market  or  jobbed  off  in  a  lot  to  some  one  who  is  not  particular 
about  quality.  In  short,  I  advise  the  ini|)rovement  of  quality 
by  methods  of  elimination  lather  than  by  special  selections. 

SELECTION   OF  YOUNGSTERS   FOR  BREEDING 
PURPOSES 

Like  the  rearing  and  breeding  of  cattle,  horses,  hogs  or  any 
other  animal,  much  depends  upon  the  parent  stock  and  the 
grading  and  building  up  of  the  stock  to  be  kept  to  breed  from. 

The  size  of  your  flock,  the  size  the  flock  is  desired  to  be  in- 
creased to,  the  time  of  the  year,  and  the  rapidity  in  which  you 
desire  to  increase  has  considerable  to  do  with  the  selecting 
method.  However,  there  are  several  cardinal  principles  you 
nuist  follow  when   saving  young  l)irds   lor  breeding  purposes, 


Mating  and  selection  of  breeding  stock  151 

and  the  closer  you  follow  these  principles,  the  fewer  exceptions 
you  make,  the  better  will  be  the  results. 

To  start  with,  if  you  save  youngsters  from  inferior  pairs, 
naturally  those  youngsters  will  not  be  as  good  for  breeding 
purposes  as  the  youngsters  saved  from  your  best  pairs.  What 
I  mean  by  best  is  breeders  that  are  of  good  average  size,  good 
type,  and  have  produced  a  large  number  of  fat,  healthy  squabs. 
The  parents  must  necessarily,  therefore,  besides  other  qualities, 
be  motherly,  good  feeders  and  domestic.  Youngsters  saved 
from  this  class  of  breeders  will,  on  an  average,  prove  better 
all  aroimd  birds  and  more  dependable  for  squab  producing 
purposes  than  youngsters  saved  from  birds  which  are  too  large, 
too  small,  or  out  of  breeders  slow  and  lazy  or  poor  feeders.  By 
the  latter  term  I  mean  a  bird  that  does  not  feed  or  take  care  of 
its  squabs  well. 

If  an  old  bird  comes  from  a  good  strain,  and  is  not  quite  up 
to  the  standard  itself,  its  youngsters  are  often  superior  to 
youngsters  produced  by  birds  of  an  inferior  strain,  even  though 
they  are  of  a  fair  size  and  type.  This  is  a  point  w'orth  considering. 
The  best  time  of  the  year  to  save  youngsters  for  breeding  pur- 
poses is  in  the  winter  or  spring,  for  the  reason  that  they  will 
grow  to  maturity,  pass  through  the  moult,  mate  and  start  breed- 
ing before  cold  weather,  and  then  continue  to  breed  all  winter; 
while  birds  that  do  not  get  old  enough  to  mate  before  cold 
weather  are  apt  to  sit  around  all  winter  and  not  start  to  work 
until  spring,  but  there  is  no  set  rule  on  this. 

I  have  found  that  youngsters  will  not  produce  many  squabs 
before  they  are  eight  or  nine  months  old,  and  in  the  long  run, 
11  is  about  as  well  to  mate  them  up  at  that  age  as  it  is  to  crowd 
them.  It  is  never  a  good  plan  to  save  every  youngster  for 
breeding  purposes  even  if  you  are  in  a  hurry  to  increase  your 
flock. 

Care  sliould  be  taken  when  selecting  youngsters  to  save  an 
e((ual  number  of  each  sex.  As  the  largest  and  best  looking 
sciuab  is  invariably  the  male,  and  the  small,  inferior  looking 
squab  the  female,  you  will  find  the  majority  of  the  birds  saved 
are  males  unless  you  guard  against  it.  As  a  rule,  there  is  a  male 
and  female  in  each  nest,  so  it  is  a  fairly  safe  method  to  save 
both  birds  or  nest  mates,  instead  of  just  the  best  looking  ones. 
Some  breeders,  in  order  to  guard  against  saving  more  males 


152  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

than  females,  use  a  small  open  band  and  band  the  smaller  of 
the  two  nest  mates,  when  they  are  about  three  weeks  old,  taking 
for  granted  that  the  smaller  one  is  a  female.  Then  when  they 
take  out  squabs  to  market  they  leave  the  banded  bird  in  the 
nest,  and  the  next  time  they  are  around  taking  out  squabs,  they 
know  that  the  single  bird  in  the  nest  is  a  female.  Otherwise, 
if  they  have  a  large  plant  and  could  not  remember,  they  would 
naturally  conclude  that  there  was  only  one  bird  raised  in  the 
nest,  and  it  was  a  male. 

If  just  one  egg  hatches,  it  is  invariably  the  male,  and  if  a  bird 
dies  in  the  nest,  it  is  generally  the  female,  for  the  reason  that 
the  male  is  stronger,  as  a  rule,  and  will  come  nearer  picking  its 
way  out  of  the  shell  and  with  more  vitality  will  be  less  apt  to 
die  than  its  sister. 

If  you  should  make  a  mistake  and  save  more  females  than 
males  you  can  easily  secure  enough  odd  males  from  some  other 
breeder  to  even  up  your  stock,  but  if  you  save  more  males  than 
females,  it  is  very  hard  to  secure  the  necessary  odd  females, 
for  the  reason  that  most  all  breeders  have  a  surplus  of  males, 
and  are  short  on  females. 

If  you  are  breeding  for  color,  as  well  as  size,  type  and  other 
qualities,  you  can  judge  your  birds  fairly  well  after  they  ai'e 
about  three  weeks  old,  to  such  an  extent  that  the  best  color 
could  be  saved.  With  Carneaux,  for  instance,  when  solid  reds 
c^-*e  desired,  all  youngsters  that  have  light  or  slate  colored  rumps 
will  invariably  prove  to  be  splashes,  or  slates,  after  they  shed 
tlieir  baby  feathers,  and  about  as  much  can  be  told  regarding 
cx>lor  at  three  weeks  old  as  later  on  until  after  they  have  gone 
through  their  first  moult,  which  takes  place  when  they  are 
about  three  months  old. 

Most  all  Carneaux  look  to  be  solid  reds  when  they  are  squabs, 
but  at  the  time  they  moult  out  their  second  feathers,  they  then 
take  on  their  permanent  color.  The  same  is  true  to  a  large 
extent  with  other  varieties.  Personally,  I  am  opposed  to  breed- 
ing for  color  unless  you  are  desirous  of  raising  show  birds  or 
birds  for  exhibition  purposes. 

There  is  very  little  or  no  advantage  in  color  from  a  breeding 
standpoint.  In  fact,  there  is  more  often  a  disadvantage.  Birds 
of  one  color  will  produce  as  good  and  as  many  squabs  as  birds 
oX  the  same  breed  of  another  color.    The  only  question  is  the 


MATING  AND  SELECTION  OF  BREEDING  STOCK  153 

color  of  the  meat  or  skin.  Dark  meated  squabs  do  not  bring 
as  good  a  price  as  white  meated  ones,  and  birds  with  dark 
beaks  and  dark,  muddy  colored  feathers  invariably  bring  dark 
meated  squabs.  Black  birds,  if  their  feathers  are  clear,  real 
black  and  not  muddy  looking,  will  breed  squabs  with  almost 
as  white  meat  as  will  birds  with  white  feathers.  Again,  re- 
ferring to  Cameaux,  dark  billed  birds  with  slate  or  dark  feath- 
ers are  more  apt  to  breed  dark  meated  youngsters  than  birds 
with  light  beaks  (no  slate  or  blue)  and  light  colored  feathers. 
White  feathers  on  Carneaux  are  no  objection,  because  red  and 
white  is  their  natural  color,  and,  in  fact,  on  an  average,  they 
are  better  than  the  solid  reds  or  solid  yellows. 

Let  me  illustrate.  The  natural  color  of  Durham  cattle  ^s  red 
and  white  or  roan.  If  a  breeder  of  Durham  cattle  would  decide 
to  draw  the  color  line  and  keep  only  his  red  calves,  or  those 
that  had  no  white,  for  breeding  purposes,  he  would  from  the 
very  start  be  forced  to  sacrifice  other  qualities  for  color,  and  in 
a  short  time  he  wt)uld  find  his  herd  below  its  standard  from 
the  standpoint  of  milk,  butter  or  beef.  A  cattle  breeder  ^ypuld 
laugh  at  you  if  you  were  to  even  suggest  his  discarding  all  but 
his  solid  color  calves,  and  would  tell  you  he  would  be  doing 
away  with  many  of  the  best  calves  from  his  best  breeders. 


CHAPTER  XTI 
PROPER  CARE  OF  SQUABS  AND  YOUNGSTERS 

SOFT  SHELLED  EGGS 

A  soft  shelled  egg  is  one  that  is  covered  only  by  a  tough  skin 
and  is  without  the  hard  shell  covering.  This  is  generally 
caused  by  the  old  bird  not  having  been  provided  with  a  suf- 
ficient amount  of  oyster  shell  or  other  limey  substance.  Robbing 
the  old  birds'  nest  a  couple  or  three  times  in  succession  will 
also  cause  soft  shell  eggs.  Pigeons  are  not  like  chickens  in 
this  respect.  A  hen  will  lay  any  number  of  eggs  consecutively, 
and  invariably  be  able  to  manufacture  a  sufficient  amount  of 
shell  to  cover  her  eggs,  but  a  pigeon  is  only  intended  to  lay 
two  eggs,  and  then  set  and  raise  their  young  to  two  or  three 
weeks  of  age  before  laying  again. 

Once  a  pigeon  lays  soft  shelled  eggs,  it  is  necessary  to  keep 
her  from  laying  again  for  at  least  a  month;  if  not,  she  Aviill 
probably  continue  to  lay  soft  shelled  eggs.  The  best  thing  to 
do  when  a  soft  shelled  egg  is  found,  is  to  put  the  pigeon  that 
laid  it  to  setting  by  substituting  an  egg  with  a  good  shell  in 
her  nest,  even  though  it  is  an  infertile  or  old  egg.  If  it  is  an 
infertile  egg  take  it  away  from  her  after  two  weeks'  setting,  just 
before  she  has  acciunulated  pigeon  milk  in  her  crop.  Then 
after  a  week  or  ten  days'  rest,  she  will  lay  again,  and  the 
chances  are  her  eggs  will  be  properly  shelled.  If  the  egg  is 
fertile,  let  her  hatch  it  and  take  the  squab  away  from  her  after 
it  is  four  or  five  days  old,  allowing  the  time  for  her  to  feed  up 
the  accumulated  pigeon  milk  in  her  crop.  Or  if  you  wish  you 
can  allow  her  to  raise  the  squab  in  the  usual  way. 

/BARREN  FEMALES 
Some  females,  for  unknown  reasons,  cease  to  be  i)ro(lucers, 
that  is,  they  quit  laying.  If  such  birds  mate  up  and  build  nests, 
which  they  often  do,  they  can  be  utilized  as  foster  mothers,  by 
merely  giving  them  a  couple  of  eggs  to  set  on  in  their  nests. 
Such  birds  are  called  "barren  females."  They  will  often  hatch 
^nd  raise  squabs  as  well  or  better  than  some  regular  mothers, 


f>ROPiER  CARE  OF  SQUABS  AND  YOUNdSTERS  155 

I  have  put  barren  hens  to  work  by  making  a  nest  for  them, 
and  putting  the  eggs  in  it.  Of  course,  it  is  necessary  for  th^m 
to  have  a  mate,  and  a  nest  box  that  they  claim  for  their  home, 
otherwise  they  will  not  want  to  set, 

A  "barren"  hen  often  comes  in  good  play  when  you  have 
special  squabs  to  raise;  that  is,  one  you  desire  to  give  special 
attention  to  on  account  of  it  being  from  a  prize  winning  pair, 
and  you  desire  to  divide  the  squabs  up  into  two  nests  so  that 
each  will  receive  the  entire  feed  and  attention  of  a  pair  of 
old  birds. 

If  a  "barren"  female  will  not  set  on  other  birds'  eggs  and  will 
not  lay  any  lierself,  turn  her  out,  kill  her  or  give  her  to  someone 
who  wants  a  useless  pet. 

WHEN  BUT  ONE  EGG  HATCHES,  OR  WHEN 
ONE  SQUAB  DIES 

The  number  of  squabs  per  pair  can  be  increased  by  the  proper 
management  of  a  squab  plant,  which  includes  keeping  the 
birds  up  to  their  full  capacity.  A  good  pair  of  squab  breeders 
will,  with  proper  food  and  loft  conditions,  feed  two  or  three 
squabs  successfully.  The  thing  to  do,  thereforie,  is  to  double 
up  the  single  squabs  with  others  the  same  size  and  by  relieving 
the  parent  birds  of  tlie  care  of  the  single  squab  they  will  go 
back  to  work  and  lay  a  week  or  two  sooner  than  if  the  squab 
was  left  in  their  nest  to  care  for. 

This  plan  can  be  carried  on  successfully  to  the  extent  of  tak- 
ing two  sqiuibs  from  a  nest,  placing  one  each  in  two  other  nests, 
making  six  squabs  in  two  nests,  instead  of  six  squabs  in  three 
nests.  The  squabless  pair  will  re-lay  a  week  or  ten  days  sooner 
than  otherwise  and  in  the  course  of  several  months  the  time 
gained  in  this  manner  will  make  a  noticeable  increase  in  the 
munber  of  squabs  raised. 

The  transferring  of  squabs  should  not  be  done  until  they  are 
four  or  five  days  old,  so  that  the  parent  birds  will  have  a  chance 
to  feed  out  the  pigeon  milk  in  their  crops  and  the  squabs  should 
jje  given  to  birds  that  are  the  best  feeders. 

Often  a  pair  proves  to  be  good  layers,  but  are  not  good  feeders, 
Vvhich  can  be  determined  by  the  size  and  condition  of  their 
squabs.    Such  pairs  can  be  kept  fairly  busy  laying  and  the  best 


156  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

feeders  be  given  extra  work  to  do  in  the  way  of  squab  feeding. 

If  your  loft  is  small  and  you  only  have  a  few  birds,  it  may 
be  necessary  for  you  to  do  some  extra  shifting  or  juggling  of 
squabs  to  accomplish  your  purpose.  That  is,  you  may  not  have 
other  birds  with  squabs  the  same  age  as  the  pair  you  wish  to 
rob.  In  such  case  you  can  double  the  largest  squab  in  the  nest 
with  the  largest  in  another  nest  and  the  two  smaller  ones  the 
same,  then  put  your  extra  squabs  in  the  nests  with  squabs 
nearest  their  size.  Often  by  increasing  or  decreasing  the  size 
of  the  squabs  in  two  or  three  nests  by  transferring  them  from 
one  nest  to  another,  you  can  double  up  odd  squabs  to  an  ad- 
vantage when  on  first  thought  one  would  think  it  could  not 
be  done. 

The  best  time  to  transfer  squabs  is  just  before  night  when  the 
female  is  on  the  nest,  and  when  she  will  go  back  to  nest  (if  she 
leaves  it  when  you  are  making  the  change)  hurriedly  and  not 
stop  to  notice  that  there  are  strange  birds  in  her  nest.  If  the 
young  ones  are  about  the  same  size  and  color,  it  will  make  no 
difference  and  they  can  be  changed  most  any  time  of  the  day. 
If  squabs  are  well  feathered  and  of  a  different  color,  it  is  best 
to  watch  the  old, birds  to  see  if  they  take  kindly  to  the  strangers 
in  their  nest,  as  the  old  birds  are  apt  to  fight  and  kill  them 
under  such  conditions. 

As  a  rule,  the  parent  birds  will  feed  and  care  for  any  squab 
you  put  in  the  nest,  unless  there  is  too  great  a  difference  in  the 
size  and  color,  and  some  birds  will  not  draw  the  line  at  that; 
they  seem  to  take  it  for  granted  that  all  squabs  in  their  nest 
aie  theirs. 

The  plan  of  doubling  up  squabs  cannot  be  followed  very  suc- 
cessfully in  cold  weather  as  the  old  bird  cannot  keep  three 
s(iuabs  warm  as  well  as  she  can  two. 

HOW  TO  TELL  THE  PERIOD  OF  INCUBATION 

When  a  pigeon  egg  is  first  laid  it  has  a  clear  transparent  look, 
which  it  loses  by  degrees  as  it  is  set  on,  until  it  becomes  very 
opaque,  and  has  a  bluish,  slick  cast  just  before  the  squab  is 
hatched.  By  comparison,  and  a  little  experience,  one  can  closely 
estimate  the  length  of  time  an  egg  has  been  set  on. 

This  knowledge  is  essential  when  running  a  squab  plant  of 


IPROPER  CARE  OF  SQUABS  AND  YOUNGSTERS  l57 

any  size;  for  it  is  frequently  necessary  to  switch  eggs  from 
one  nest  to  another,  and  eggs  so  switched  should  be  of  about 
the  same  length  of  incubation  as  the  eggs  with  which  they  are 
put.  This  is  necessary  in  order  to  have  them  hatch  about  the 
seventeenth  day  after  the  old  bird  went  to  setting.  If  they 
hatch  much  sooner  than  that,  the  old  bird  will  not  be  able  to 
feed  them,  on  account  of  not  having  any  accumulated  pigeon 
milk  in  its  crop,  and  if  they  do  not  hatch  within  eighteen  or 
nineteen  days,  the  old  bird  will  likely  leave  the  nest  before  the 
eggs  are  hatched. 

Some  breeders  follow  the  plan  of  robbing  a  nest  and  putting 
the  eggs  in  a  couple  of  other  nests,  making  three  in  each  nest, 
and  in  this  way  allow  the  birds  whose  nest  was  robbed,  to 
lay  two  more  eggs  and  again  start  to  setting.  This  is  not  a  bad 
practice,  provided  the  parent  birds  of  the  three  squabs  are  able 
to  keep  them  well  fed  and  fat,  which  depends  something  upon 
ihe  feeding  qualities  of  the  old  birds,  and  the  kind  and  supply 
of  feed  they  are  getting. 

I  think  it  is  a  good  plan  to  rob  all  nests  that  have  but  one  egg 
on  account  of  the  other  egg  having  been  broken  or  laid  on  the 
floor.  I  also  think  it  a  good  plan  to  rob  each  nest  that  has  but 
one  squab  in  it,  and  double  that  squab  up  with  some  other  nest 
with  a  single  squab,  or  with  two  other  squabs  that  are  being 
well  fed  and  are  of  about  the  same  age.  Squabs  should  not 
be  taken  out  of  a  nest,  however,  until  four  or  five  days  old, 
for  the  reason  that  it  is  necessary  to  the  health  of  the  parent 
bird  that  they  feed  out  the  supply  of  pigeon  milk  that  has  ac- 
cumulated in  their  crops  while  setting. 

Parent  birds  are  not  able  to  distinguish  their  young  ones  from 
any  other  ones  until  they  are  feathered  out;  therefore,  they  will 
feed  any  other  squab  about  the  same  size  as  their  own  if  put 
into  their  nests.  They  go  more  by  what  is  in  their  nests,  than 
what  the  squab  looks  like.  If  there  is  too  great  a  difference  in 
size,  however,  they  are  apt  to  kill  strange  young  ones  put  into 
their  nests  by  picking  them  on  the  head  or  back. 

Some  parent  birds  will  become  foster  mothers  quicker  than 
others,  and  some  will  care  for  and  feed  any  number  of  squabs 
put  into  their  nests,  almost  regardless  of  size  or  color.  You 
can  easily  determine  this  by  watching  the  parent  bird  go  back 


158  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

to  its  nest  after  you  have  put  the  squab  in.  If  they  are  going 
to  fight  the  squabs  at  all,  they  will  do  so  at  once. 

By  a  little  planning  and  manipulation,  extra  squabs  can  be 
placed  around  in  a  loft  to  an  advantage,  and  so  that  they  will 
be  cared  for  by  the  old  ones.  A  three  weeks'  old  squab,  for 
instance,  can  be  doubled  up  with  the  larger  bird  in  a  two  weeks' 
old  nest,  and  the  smaller  bird  of  that  nest  doubled  up  with  the 
squabs  in  a  week  or  ten  days'  old  nest. 

Parent  birds  will  not  feed  their  squabs  in  any  other  nest  but 
their  own,  unless  squabs  are  around  four  weeks  old  and  then 
they  will  feed  them  if  on  the  floor,  or  if  they  are  shut  up  together, 
but  they  would  not  go  into  a  strange  nest  and  feed  their  own 
squabs  even  at  that  age. 

Eggs  that  are  found  on  the  floor  or  in  a  fly  pen  should  be 
gathered  up  and  put  in  a  nest  with  other  freshly  laid  eggs,  or 
such  eggs  can  be  saved  some  time  before  setting,  and  handled 
the  same  as  you  would  hen  eggs,  by  turning  them  over  every 
day  or  so.  A  pigeon  will  not  set  in  any  other  place  except  the 
nest  where  they  laid  their  eggs,  and  only  then  immediately 
after  the  eggs  are  laid. 

WHEN  BOTH  SQUABS  DIE  BEFORE  THREE  DAYS  OLD 

If  squabs  die  in  hatching,  get  trampled  to  death  or  die  before 
three  days  old,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  give  the  old  birds  a  squab 
from  another  nest  for  a  day  or  two  in  order  that  they  can  feed 
out  the  pigeon  milk  that  has  accumulated  in  their  crops.  In 
doing  this  it  is  all  right,  if  necessary,  to  give  them  a  young  one 
a  few  days  older  than  the  ones  they  lose,  as  they  will  feed  the 
larger  bird  just  the  same  and  even  if  it  is  old  enough  to  receive 
grain,  pigeon  milk  will  not  hurt  it 

The  only  precaution  to  take  in  such  a  case  is  to  see  that  the 
old  birds  do  not  fight  the  strange  squab,  which  they  might  do 
if  there  is  too  much  difference  in  size. 

If  the  young  die  in  hatcliing,  a  young  squab  can  be  put  in  the 
nest  along  with  an  egg  or  two  and  the  parent  birds  will  accept 
it  as  their  own.  Just  before  night  is  the  best  time  to  make  such 
transfer  and  always  before  the  old  birds  have  abandoned  the 
nest,  which  they  will  do  in  a  day  or  so  after  eggs  fail  to  hatch 
or  almost  immediately  after  squabs  die  in  hatching. 

The  transferred  or  loaned  squab  should  be  left  in  the  nest 


PROPER  CARE  OF  SQUABS  AND  YOUNGSTERS       159 

only  a  few  days,  then  taken  away  and  the  old  birds  be  allowed 
to  re-lay  and  go  to  setting  again.  (See  article  on  "When  One 
Squab  Dies.')  If  the  parent  birds  are  good  feeders  and  they 
for  some  reason  lose  one  or  both  squabs  or  their  eggs  do  not 
hatch,  the  transferred  squabs  can  be  left  with  them  and  the 
other  pair  be  put  to  laying  again. 

ONE  SQUAB  SMALLER  THAN  THE  OTHER 

This  subject  is  practically  covered  in  the  article  entitled 
"When  One  Squab  Dies,"  as  the  process  of  switching  squabs 
into  other  nests  is  the  same.  That  is,  both  larger  and  the 
smaller  squabs  should  be  paired  up  with  other  squabs  of  their 
size,  by  changing  them  to  other  nests.  If  this  is  not  done,  the 
larger  squab  will  continue  to  get  larger  and  the  smaller  one 
will  stop  growing. 

There  is  usually  a  slight  difference  in  the  size  of  two  squabs 
in  a  nest,  ])ut  when  one  squab  is  considerably  larger  than  its 
nest  mate,  the  larger  one  is  evidently  getting  more  than  his 
share  of  the  feed  and  the  larger  and  stronger  he  gets,  the  more 
apt  he  is  to  stretch  his  neck  and  head  above  his  weaker  nest 
mate  at  feeding  time,  with  the  result  that  the  old  bird  will  give 
him  the  feed  and  the  little  one  will  go  without. 

Some  old  birds  will  see  that  botli  the  squabs  are  fed  even  though 
one  is  smaller,  but  as  a  rule  such  old  birds  bring  their  young  ones 
up  in  even  size;  therefore,  when  one  squab  in  the  nest  is  larger 
than  the  other,  you  can  take  it  for  granted  the  old  bird  is  not 
feeding  the  smaller  one  and  that  one  or  both  the  birds  should  be 
switched  to  another  nest.  It  is  not  a  bad  plan  to  switch  the 
larger  bird  and  leave  the  small  one  in  the  nest  for  a  few  days 
for  the  old  one  to  feed,  after  which  it  can  be  switched  and  the 
old  birds  put  to  work. 

OLD  BIRDS  THAT  ABANDON  THEIR  EGGS 

Pigeons  will  abandon  their  eggs  for  several  causes.  Lice  or 
mites  will  cause  them  to  do  so,  and  dirty  or  foul  nests  will 
cause  them  to  abandon  them  or  leave  their  eggs.  Sometimes 
they  will  leave  without  apparently  any  cause,  except  that  they 
seemingly  get  tired  of  setting  and  sometimes  this  becomes  a 
habit. 

About  the  best  thing  in  such  cases  is  to  remate  the  birds  ov 


160  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

give  them  some  young  squabs  to  feed  after  they  have  set  on  their 
eggs  about  a  week,  taking  the  eggs  aw^ay  from  them.  The 
squabs  will  necessarily  have  to  be  old  enough  to  be  fed  grain, 
as  the  parent  birds  will  have  no  pigeon  milk  in  their  crops 
at  this  stage  of  setting.  Care  should  be  taken  if  squabs  are  put 
in  such  pigeons'  nests  to  see  that  they  are  fed  and  that  the  old 
birds  do  not  fight  them,  as  is  explained  elsewhere. 

Naturally,  if  birds  abandon  their  eggs  on  account  of  lice  or 
mites,  the  proper  remedy  should  be  applied  to  rid  them  of  same, 
and  if  the  nests  arc  too  foul  they  should  be  cleaned.  Young 
pairs  of  birds  will  often  abandon  their  eggs  before  hatching  the 
first  time,  but  later  will  stick  to  the  nest  until  the  eggs  are 
hatched.  Some  males  will  not  do  their  turn  on  the  nests  to- 
wards the  last  of  the  incubation,  preferring  to  put  in  their 
time  flirting  with  other  females,  and  this  as  a  rule  will  cause 
the  female  on  the  nest  to  desert  her  eggs.  Some  females  will 
give  up  setting  in  order  to  get  out  with  their  mate.  The  remedy 
for  this  is  separation  and  re-mating  with  different  birds. 

SQUABS  THAT  LEAVE  THE  NEST  TOO  SOON 

The  principal  cause  of  squabs  leaving  the  nest  before  time, 
is  lack  of  feed  or  water,  too  hot  or  too  stuffy  nests,  being  neg- 
lected by  their  parents  or  because  the  nests  are  so  near  the 
floor  that  they  can  easily  get  out  to  meet  their  parent  birds  when 
they  come  to  feed  and  water  them. 

This  is  one  of  the  objectionable  features  of  allowing  birds 
to  nest  on  or  near  the  floor.  After  a  squab  gets  the  habit  of 
running  around  on  the  floor,  it  is  hard  to  get  it  to  stay  in  a  nest 
and  generally  such  squabs  will  become  poor  and  stunted.  About 
the  best  way  to  remedy  this  condition  is  to  transfer  squabs  from 
nest  on  the  floor  to  other  nests  before  they  get  very  old. 

Some  old  birds  will  persist  in  building  on  the  floor.  When 
they  do,  their  eggs  should  be  taken  away  from  them  a  couple  of 
times  and  the  pair  changed  to  another  nest  room.  As  a  rule  only 
poor  squabs  leave  the  nest  too  early  and  the  longer  they  are  out 
the  poorer  and  more  scrubby  they  get.  Sometimes  such  squabs 
can  be  induced  to  stay  in  a  high  nest,  but  if  not  a  couple  of  slats 
tacked  across  the  front  of  the  nest  box  will  prevent  them  from 
climbing  out,  yet  permit  the  old  birds  to  feed  the  young  through 
the  spaces  between  the  slats. 


PROPER  CARE  OF  SQUABS  AND  YOUNGSTERS       161 

About  the  best  thing  to  do  with  runty  squabs  is  to  kill  them 
and  try  and  change  the  conditions  that  caused  them  to  get  poor, 
or  that  caused  them  to  leave  the  nest  too  soon  and  then  become 
poor.  An  underfed  squab  becomes  stunted  and  will  never  im- 
prove very  much.  If  allowed  to  grow  up  they  are  generally 
under  sized  birds  and  inferior  in  many  ways. 


WHEN  TO  REMOVE  SQUABS  FROM  NEST  ROOM 

Sciuabs  that  arc  to  be  kept  for  breeders  should  be  left  in  the 
nest  room  until  seven  or  eight  weeks  old.  This  is  a  much  longer 
period  than  is  practiced  by  the  average  breeder.  The  parent 
birds,  especially  the  male  bird,  will  feed  squabs  quite  a  while 
longer  after  they  leave  the  nest,  and  if  there  are  several  birds 
in  a  nest  room  there  will  most  likely  be  several  pairs  that  are 
feeding  youngsters  on  the  floor  after  they  have  left  the  nest. 
In  such  cases  squabs  six,  seven  and  often  eight  weeks  old  will 
receive  on  the  floor  some  feed  from  the  parents  of  younger 
squabs.  In  this  way  youngsters  receive  some  help  until  they 
get  past  the  delicate  age. 

Squabs  that  arc  left  in  the  nest  room  a  few  weeks  after  they 
are  weaned,  seem  to  get  a  much  better  start  and  do  much  better 
after  they  are  taken  out  of  the  nest  room  and  put  to  themselves. 
One  thing  that  benefits  squabs  by  allowing  them  to  remain 
several  weeks  in  the  nest  room  after  they  are  weaned,  is  that 
they  learn  the  location  of  the  water  fountain  or  trough  and  the 
feed  boxes  during  the  time  when  they  are  receiving  some  feed 
from  the  old  birds.  Youngsters  often  die  for  the  want  of  water 
if  transferred  when  too  young  to  a  pen  where  the  watering 
arrangement  is  hard  to  get  to,  located  in  another  portion  of  the 
room  or  of  different  construction  than  was  used  in  the  room 
they  were  transferred  from.  The  best  plan  is  to  provide  the 
same  watering  and  feeding  systems  for  each  pen. 

The  best  plan,  especially  with  a  large  plant,  is  to  catch  and 
remove  squabs  from  the  nest  room  to  the  rearing  rooms  once 
a  week,  having  a  special  time  for  same  each  week,  taking  out 
only  a  few  of  the  largest  and  most  thrifty  ones  from  seven  tQ 
eight  weeks  old, 


162  AMERICAN    SQUAB     CULTURE 

HOW  TO  CARE  FOR  SQUABS  AFTER  THEY  LEAVE  NEST 

As  stated  in  my  article,  "\\'hen  to  Remove  Squabs  from  Nest 
Room,"  squabs  that  are  to  be  kept  for  breeders,  should  be  left 
in  the  nest  room  with  their  parents  until  about  seven  or  eight 
weeks  old,  at  which  time  they  should  be  removed  to  a  separate 
compartment,  where  they  can  be  given  special  care  and  atten- 
tion. Young  pigeons  at  that  age  are,  as  a  rule,  very  delicate, 
easy  to  catch  cold,  and  sometimes  lose  their  appetite  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  become  very  weak  and  often  die. 

There  are  four  necessary  things  to  the  successful  care  of  a 
young  pigeon.  First,  they  must  be  provided  with  a  room  which 
has  plenty  of  fresh  air  and  free  from  drafts.  The  room  must  be 
at  all  times  dry,  warm  in  the  winter  and  cool  in  the  summer. 

Special  precaution  must  be  taken  to  guard  against  colds  in  a 
climate  where  the  days  are  warm  and  the  nights  are  cool. 
Under  such  conditions  the  temperature  of  the  room  should  be 
legulated  by  opening  the  doors  in  the  middle  of  the  day  and 
closing  them  at  night. 

If  the  floor  of  the  room  is  damp,  it  is  best  to  place  some  low 
boxes  around  the  wall  or  run  a  little  shelf  around  the  edge  of 
the  room  for  the  youngsters  to  run  on.  Often  there  is  a  draft 
that  can  hardly  be  detected  an  inch  or  two  off  the  floor,  that 
will  cause  young  birds  to  catch  cold.  They  are  very  susceptible 
to  a  draft,  and  too  much  precaution  cannot  be  taken  to  guard 
against  it. 

Second,  a  sufficient  supply  of  good  feed  must  be  provided  for 
the  young  birds.  As  a  rule  they  are  small  eaters  just  after  they 
are  weaned,  and  unless  a  constant  supply  of  rich,  nourishing 
food  is  kept  before  them,  some  of  the  youngsters  will  not  eat 
enough  to  keep  them  alive.  One  can  well  afford  to  feed  birds 
at  this  age  choice  and  more  expensive  food  than  is  usually  re- 
quired for  the  reason  that  they  will  eat  but  little  anyway,  and 
the  added  expense  for  good  food  will  be  more  than  made  up  in 
the  results  secured. 

A  good  variety  of  grain  should  be  furnished  so  that  if  a  bird 
does  not  like  one  kind  of  feed,  there  will  be  a  chance  of  it  liking 
another.  Young  squabs  are  very  finicky  when  it  comes  to  eat- 
ing. Some  will  pick  at  nothing  except  white  or  light  colored 
grains,  while  others  will  pass  up  everything  but  dark  colored 


"proper  care  of  squabs  and  youngsters  163 

feed.  Some  will  try  to  pick  all  of  the  large  grains  such  as  large 
peas,  while  others  will  eat  nothing  but  small  grains.  I  have 
even  seen  them  refuse  to  eat  anything  larger  than  millet.  There- 
fore, a  good  assortment  of  grains  is  necessary,  which  should 
include  a  small  percentage  of  hemp,  and  especially  so  in  cold 
or  damp  weather  when  birds  do  not  seem  to  eat  freely. 

The  feed  should  be  kept  in  a  convenient  place  and  not  very 
far  away  from  where  the  youngsters  are  in  the  habit  of  staying. 

Third,  a  good  supply  of  fresh  water  must  be  kept  within 
easy  reach  of  the  youngsters.  The  water  should  be  warm  in 
winter  and  cool  in  the  summer  time.  Hot  water  in  summer  is 
apt  to  give  squabs  a  sour  crop  and  if  the  water  is  too  cold  in 
the  winter  time,  they  will  not  drink  freely  of  it.  Water  should 
not  be  allowed  to  stand  any  length  of  time  in  the  squab  house, 
as  it  draws  impurities  and  young  birds  are  very  susceptible  to 
ailments. 

Fourth,  a  good  supply  of  grit,  oyster  shell  and  charcoal  must 
be  kept  within  easy  reach  of  the  young  birds.  A  mixture  of  one 
part  salt  and  five  parts  charcoal,  measured  by  weight,  is  a 
splendid  thing  for  young  birds.  The  salt  will  cause  them  to  eat 
the  charcoal,  which  aids  their  digestion  and  keeps  them  healthy. 
Salt  will  also  make  them  thirsty  and  lots  of  water  is  very  bene- 
ficial to  youngsters. 

A  good  plan  is  to  sprinkle  coarse  sand  or  grit  on  the  floor 
daily.  They  will  find  the  gravel  in  this  way,  while  if  it  is  put 
in  a  receptacle  they  will  not  see  it  and  are  not  apt  to  eat  it  if 
they  do. 

I  favor  the  same  nesting  arrangement  for  young  birds  as  for 
old  ones  (that  is  the  double  nest  box  system  as  is  described 
herein),  for  the  reason  that  it  furnishes  plenty  of  roosting 
places,  and  the  birds  that  want  to  get  back  where  it  is  warm 
can  roost  in  the  nest,  while  others  prefer  to  roost  out  on  the 
running  boards.  In  this  way  the  weaker  and  more  timid  birds 
have  protection  against  the  stronger  ones  and  are  not  forced 
to  roost  on  the  floor. 

A  nest  room,  8x10,  with  40  double,  80  single  nests,  will  amply 
accommodate  100  youngsters,  and  that  is  about  as  many  as 
should  be  kept  together. 

Youngsters  should  be  separated  into  groups,  according  to  then- 
age  and  strength.     A  good  plan  is  to  go  around  once  a  week 


ICii  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

and  take  the  stronger  ones  out  and  transfer  them  to  a  pen"  of 
older  birds,  and  put  in  their  place  youngsters  just  taken  out  of 
the  nest  rooms.  In  this  way  the  weaker  birds  will  not  be  pushed 
back  or  fought  from  the  feed  and  water  by  the  older  and 
!?tronger  ones. 

Until  youngsters  get  to  be  about  eight  or  ten  weeks  old,  they 
should  not  be  allowed  to  get  into  the  fly  pens,  except  in  the 
most  comfortable  weather,  and  even  then  it  is  not  necessary. 
On  cold,  damp  days  or  extremely  hot  days,  even  youngsters 
three  or  four  months  old  should  not  be  permitted  to  fly  out 
into  the  fly  pens.  They  are  going  through  their  second  i)lumage 
at  this  time  and  are  very  delicate. 

Some  successful  breeders  do  not  provide  fly  pens  for  birds 
until  after  they  are  old  enough  to  mate,  but  you  must  under- 
stand that  youngsters  require  plenty  of  light  and  fresh  air.  This 
does  not  apply  to  squabs  while  in  the  nest  rooms  with  their 
parents. 

Young  birds  that  become  very  poor  and  thin  should  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  stronger  birds  in  the  pen  and  be  placed  where 
they  can  be  given  special  attention.  I  have  found  that  a  good 
sized  box  with  a  wire  over  the  top  is  a  good  place  for  such 
birds,  as  it  is  warm  and  dry  with  plenty  of  light  and  fresh  air. 

One  advantage  of  the  box  is  that  it  can  be  moved  to  a  suitable 
and  comfortable  place  in  the  day  time  and  put  b£tck  out  of  the 
damp  air  at  night.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  doctor  up  young 
birds  after  they  have  once  become  sick  and  the  best  remedy 
that  I  know  for  same  is  to  prevent  them  from  getting  in  this 
condition   b\    the  proper  care  in  advance. 

WHEN   PIGEONS   GET   OLD 

The  active  working  life  of  squab  raising  pigeons  is  about  six 
years.  Some  birds  will  do  good  work  until  eight  or  ten  years 
old,  others  will  let  up  at  five  years  and  some  even  in  four,  so 
about  the  only  way  to  tell  the  age  when  a  certain  bird  will 
cease  to  be  profitable  is  to  keep  a  check  on  it.  If  you  do  not 
keep  an  absolute  record  of  all  your  birds  you  can  easily  keep  a 
record  of  the  empty  nests,  and  if  you  notice  that  certain  nests 
are  occupied  right  along,  but  do  not  contain  eggs  or  squabs,  you 
can  soon  locate  the  pair  that  claims  the  nest,  and  if  that  pair 


PkOPER  CARE  OF  SQUABS  AND  YOUNGSTERS      165 

doesn't  go  to  work  within  a  reasonable  time  you  know  there  is 
something  wrong. 

In  such  a  case  I  would  advise  that  you  first  separate  the  pair 
and  remate  the  hen  with  a  young  cock  and  the  old  cock  with 
a  young  hen.  The  chances  are  each  pair  will  go  to  work  and  do 
w^ell;  if  not,  one  pair  will  probably  go  to  work  and  you  can 
separate  the  other  pair,  remate  the  young  bird  and  make  soup 
of  the  old  one. 

Sometimes  old  birds  will  let  up  for  a  period  and  then  go  to 
work  again  and  do  as  well  as  ever.  These  non-productive 
periods  generally  take  place  after  moulting  and  sometimes  last 
until  the  following  spring.  Sometimes  they  get  run  down  and 
get  out  of  condition  during  the  moulting  season  and  then  fail 
to  get  back  into  condition  until  spring.  This  is  particularly 
true  with  a  female  that  is  being  driven  too  much  after  the 
moult  by  the  cock.  In  such  a  case  it  is  best  to  separate  her 
from  the  cock  and  give  her  a  chance  to  pick  up  a  little  weight, 
then  either  mate  her  with  the  same  or  another  cock. 

Often  the  moult  has  just  the  opposite  effect  on  birds.  They 
start  to  gaining  weight  towards  the  end  of  the  moulting  season 
and  soon  get  too  fat  and  lazy  to  work.  In  such  cases  the  best 
remedy  is  to  underfeed  them  a  little  until  they  get  down  to 
normal  condition. 

Tlie  moult  will  often  affect  different  birds  in  the  same  loft 
differently.  Some  will  get  thin  and  some  too  fat.  So  the  same 
remedy  cannot  be  applied  to  all  the  birds  in  a  loft.  Any  that 
are  too  fat  should  be  caught  and  put  to  themselves,  and  those 
that  are  not  working  for  the  want  of  strength  should  also  be 
put  to  themselves  when  they  can  be  given  a  little  extra  atten- 
tion and  a  little  richer  feed. 

If  you  conclude  that  you  have  birds  too  old  to  do  good  work, 
first  try  them  out  with  other  mates,  then  if  they  do  not  produce 
results,  the  only  thing  that  you  can  do  is  to  kill  them  or  turn 
them  out  to  rustle  for  themselves.  You  should,  however,  not 
jump  at  a  conclusion,  as  many  birds  stop  working  from  one 
cause  or  another  for  short  periods,  while  if  properly  handled 
would  be  good  squab  producers  for  several  years  more. 


i66  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

INFERTILE   EGGS 

An  overcrowded  loft,  improper  nest  arrangement,  insufficient 
feed,  or  feed  with  too  little  food  value,  or  improper  loft  condi- 
tions will  all  tend  to  cause  eggs  to  be  infertile.  Often,  however, 
it  is  the  direct  fault  of  the  birds.  Sometimes  one  or  both  of  the 
birds  are  too  old  to  be  serviceable.  Sometimes  they  are  too 
young.  The  first  eggs  of  a  young  hen  are  not  apt  to  hatch 
and  it  is  not  a  bad  plan  to  throw  them  away  after  they  have  been 
set  on  a  few  days  or  a  week.  It  is  always  good  to  give  a  young 
hen  a  little  experience  setting  before  she  lays  again. 

Some  breeders  advocate  giving  a  young  hen  other  eggs  in 
place  of  her  first  ones,  but  I  do  not  think  this  an  extra  good 
plan  for  too  often  a  young  hen  will  not  prove  a  good  mother 
and  it  is  just  as  well,  therefore,  to  let  her  get  a  little  older  be- 
fore requiring  her  to  mother  and  feed  squabs. 

Infertile  eggs  can  be  told  by  the  transparent  appearance  of 
the  egg  shell.  If  an  egg  looks  clear  after  it  has  been  set  on  a 
week  it  is  infertile  and  should  be  thrown  away  before  the  par- 
ent birds  have  set  on  the  nest  long  enough  to  create  pigeon 
milk  in  their  crops.  (See  article  on  "Pigeon  Milk"  if  yon  are 
not  familiar  with  same,  })age  90.) 


CHAPTER  XIII 

RAISING  PIGEONS  FOR  EXHIBITION  PURPOSES 

VALUE    OF    RAISING    SHOW    BIRDS 

Raising  squab  breeders,  such  as  Homers,  Carneaux,  Runts, 
White  Kings,  Mondaines,  etc.,  for  exhibition  purposes,  cannot 
be  very  successfully  followed  as  a  money  making  part  of  the 
business,  even  by  those  who  breed  and  sell  stock  birds.  It  is 
true  that  winning  blue  ribbons  is  a  valuable  means  of  advertis- 
ing along  certain  lines,  but  until  the  squab  industry  is  followed 
by  a  larger  percentage  of  the  people,  as  is  now  true  with  chick- 
ens, the  expense  of  that  form  of  advertising  is  apt  to  more  than 
offset  the  benefits  received  therefrom. 

There  is  a  certain  amount  of  pride  and  satisfaction  for  any 
breeder  of  live  stock  or  fowls  to  know  that  his  stock  is  superior 
to  others  and  he  should  know  if  it  is  inferior,  which  knowledge 
he  will  soon  gain  if  he  exhibits  inferior  stock.  The  spirit  of 
rivalry  which  enters  into  all  competition  either  for  pleasure  or 
profit,  causes  men  to  compete  for  ribbons,  makes  stock  shows 
possible,  and  in  turn  are  beneficial. 

As  long  as  there  are  standards  covering  squab  producing 
breeds,  and  as  long  as  it  is  difficult  to  produce  birds  ihat  come 
up  to  the  standard,  the  satisfaction  of  attaining  success  along 
this  line,  and  the  general  knowledge  to  be  gained  is  sufficient 
reward  to  justify  the  trouble  and  expense  of  exhibiting  at  pigeon 
shows,  and,  after  all,  what  difference  is  there  really  hi  compet- 
ing with  squab  breeding  varieties  or  Tumblers,  Jacobins, 
Pouters  and  other  fancy  breeds?  It  is  well,  therefore,  that  those 
who  desire  can  raise  breeders  for  sqi^ab  producing  purposes 
and  at  the  same  time  birds  of  the  same  kind  for  exhibition 
purposes  and  succeed  at  both. 

The  method  of  producing  utility  chickens  for  show  purposes 
has  proven  a  great  benefit  to  the  chicken  industry,  and  to  that 
extent,  it  can  be  practiced  successfully  with  squab  and  utility 
pigeons.  A  Carneau  seems  to  be  the  most  popular  squab  pro- 
ducing bird   for  show   purposes.     National   and   Interiiational 

167 


168  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

Carneau  Clubs  have  been  organized  and  standards  adopted. 
There  are  also  club  standards  for  Runts,  Maltese,  White  Kings, 
and  Mondaines,  etc. 

As  a  whole,  I  would  say  that-  shows  and  exhibitions  are  a 
good  thing  for  squab  breeders  and  I  would  encourage  more  of 
it  and  advise  that  pigeon  shows  give  space  and  inducements 
to  exhibitions  of  squab  producing  varieties.  The  success  of  ihe 
"Fancy"  depends  largely  upon  the  financial  support  of  the  shows 
and  it  would  appear  that  pigeon  show  managers  have  made  a 
mistake  in  the  past  by  overlooking  the  squab  breeders. 

HOW,   WHEN   AND   WHERE   TO   EXHIBIT 

There  was  recently  organized  a  National  Pigeon  Association 
which  held  its  First  National  Show  at  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  and 
Second  National  Show  at  Oakland,  Calif,  This  Association 
is  organized  on  a  large  scale  backed  by  the  most  success- 
ful pigeon  men  in  America  and  will  no  doubt  furnish  the  best 
place  for  squab  breeders  to  exhibit  their  birds. 

There  are  annual  pigeon  shows  held  in  most  of  the  large  cities 
of  the  United  States.  These  shows  are  generally  held  under  the 
auspices  of  a  pigeon  club  or  association,  which  is  generally 
to  be  found  in  each  city  of  importance.  Poultry  shows  usually 
have  a  pigeon  department,  and  state  and  county  fairs  generally 
give  prizes  for  pigeons  as  well  as  poultry. 

I  am  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  too  much  importance  has 
l)een  placed  upon  the  value  of  solid  colors  and  special  marking 
such  as  solid  red  or  solid  yellow  Carneaux  by  the  fancy  Car- 
neau Ifl'eeder,  who,  on  account  of  his  association  witli  pigeon 
shows,  has  gotten  up  the  squab  breeders'  classifications  and 
premium  lists,  and  too  little  importance  has  been  given  to  type, 
size  and  other  qualities  and  to  the  red  and  white  Carneau,  or 
yellow  and  white  Carneau,  which  are  the  prevailing  and  original 
colors  of  the  bird.  This  has  had  a  tendency  to  keep  some  Car- 
neau breeders  out  of  the  shows,  for  the  reason  that  they  had 
no  chance  to  win  with  the  class  of  birds  they  handle,  and  there- 
by an  important  feature  has  been  overlooked,  namely,  the  utility 
Carneau  breeders.  Should  you  desire  to  enter  utility  birds  sepa- 
rately or  in  pairs,  notify  your  club  and  they  will  likely  provide 
such  a  class, 


PIGEONS  FOR  EXHIBITION  PURPOSES     '  169 

Another  thing,  by  placing  all  red  and  all  yellow  Carneaux  as 
the  most  important,  the  general  public  has  been  educated  to 
believe  that  such  birds  were  the  pure  bred  stock,  and  that  Car- 
neaux with  white  feathers  were  either  not  full  blooded  or  culls. 

Some  shows  provide  for  White  Carneaux,  which  come  under 
the  same  standard  as  the  red  or  yellow,  except  white  with 
orange  eyes.  There  are  Black  Carneaux,  but  up  to  the  present 
time  they  are  not  very  well  developed. 

What  is  true  of  Carneaux  is  largely  true  of  other  utility  varie- 
ties. Too  much  importance  should  not  be  attached  to  color.  Size, 
type,  carriage  and  other  like  qualities  should  also  govern  the 
winning  points  of  utility  birds.  There  are  show  birds  of  many 
fancy  varieties  which  compete  regardless  of  color  and  many  in 
which  color  is  of  but  little  consequence.  So  why  handicap 
utility  show  Ijii'ds  more  than  fancy  show  birds? 

The  majority  of  pigeon  shows  charge  a  small  fee  (generally 
50  cents)  for  eacli  bird  entered,  and  award  small  cash  prizes 
with  ribbons  and  cups  to  prize  winners.  A  premium  book  is 
generally  puljlished  and  circulated  in  advance  of  each  show, 
which  gives  the  different  classes,  prizes,  etc.  Birds  for  exhibition 
can  be  sent  to  the  superintendent  of  the  show  and  should  reach 
destination  one  day  in  advance  of  the  opening  of  the  show. 

Shipping  crates  to  shows  should  be  plainly  marked  with  the 
owner's  name  and  address,  so  the  birds  can  be  properly  ex- 
hibited and  returned  as  soon  as  the  show  is  over.  Those  wlio 
desire  to  enter  birds  can  secure  necessary  information  with 
reference  to  the  rates  for  shipping  and  returning  of  show  birds 
from  any  express  agent.  They  come  under  a  special  class  and 
are  returned  at  a  reduced  rate. 

Before  birds  are  shipped,  however,  to  a  show,  entry  blank 
should  be  received  from  the  secretary,  filled  out,  and  entry  fee 
remitted  to  the  secretary  when  blanks  are  returned  to  him. 
This  is  generally  required  several  days  in  advance  of  the  show. 
All  rules  and  other  information  can  be  secured  from  the  secre- 
tary of  the  club  giving  the  show  or  from  the  show  secretary. 

RAISING  AND  SELLING  SQUAB  BREEDING  STOCK 

This  is  a  business  of  its  own,  separate  and  distinct  from  rais- 
ing and  selling  squabs.  It,  however,  can  be  run  in  connection 
with  the  squab  selling  business.  The  rapid  increase  of  the  squab 


170  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

industry,  and  the  fact  that  Thousands  of  people  are  entering  the 
squab  business  annually,  has  created  a  demand  for  squab  breed- 
ing stock,  which  in  turn  has  caused  mnny  people  to  enter  this 
branch  of  tlie  business  unprepared  ar;d  without  special  knowl- 
edge of  what  is  necessary  to  success  in  this  kindred  industry. 
The  results  have  been  that  many  have  effected  their  success 
along  the  line  of  squab  breeding  by  accumulating  a  lot  of  birds 
which  they  saved  to  sell  for  breeders  at  a  heavy  expense,  and 
eventually  a  loss  on  account  of  having  to  sell  at  a  reduced  price. 

Like  anything  else,  there  is  much  to  learn  about  this  branch  of 
the  business  that  one  would  not  foresee  or  appreciate  until  too 
late. 

To  start  with,  there  is  not  the  margin  of  profit  in  selling  squab 
breeders  as  it  might  appear  on  first  thought.  Tliere  are  many 
things  to  be  reckoned  with  besides  the  expense  of  feeding  birds 
from  the  time  they  are  old  enough  to  kill  for  squabs  until  ma- 
tured and  sold  for  breeders.  There  is  a  certain  per  cent  of 
squabs  that  could  not  be  sold  for  breeding  stock  on  account  of 
size,  weight  or  color,  which  defect  cannot  always  be  determined 
at  squab  killing  time;  then  a  percentage  of  young  birds  die  alter 
they  leave  the  nest,  and  before  they  learn  to  care  for  themselves. 

It  is  next  to  impossible  to  distinguish  between  a  male  and 
female  squab,  and  a  person  accumulating  squabs  for  breeding 
purposes  will  invariably  save  more  males  than  females,  which 
is  a  total  loss,  as  there  is  no  demand  for  extra  males. 

The  additional  space  or  room  for  housing  birds  unti'  tlicy 
mate  and  can  l)e  sold  is  quite  an  item  to  consider,  together  with 
their  care  and  time  and  labor  it  takes  to  segregate  them  into 
classes,  and  mating  them  up  properly,  but  all  these  things  ca)i 
be  mastered  and  coped  with  successfully  by  most  any  squal} 
breeder. 

The  j)riiicipal  trouble  comes  in  selling  breeders,  for  even  in 
the  face  of  an  increasing  demand,  it  is  hard  to  find  ready  l)u>  e.'s 
lor  breeding  stock,  and  especially  so  for  those  who  are  not  known 
and  have  to  depend  upon  a  limited  means  of  advertising.  It 
takes  a  number  of  years  to  build  up  an  established  business  of 
this  kind  to  such  an  extent  that  breeders  can  be  sold  at  the 
proper  age,  at  a  fair  price.  The  average  purchaser  of  breeding 
stock  would  prefer  to  buy  his  birds  from  a  well  established 
breeder  at  an  advanced  price,  than  from  some  one  who  is  in- 


PIGEONS  FOR  EXHIBITION  PURPOSES  171 

experienced,  or  not  known,  with  no  reputation  to  back  him  up. 
And  this  is  quite  right,  for  the  reason  that  it  pays  to  get  good 
stock,  at  even  a  high  price,  rather  than  inferior  birds  for  nothing. 

Many  breeders  of  squabs  make  a  mistake  by  trying  to  raise 
and  sell  breeding  stock.  I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  a  few  breed- 
ers can  not  be  sold  profitably  by  most  any  one  in  the  squab  busi- 
ness, but  it  is  a  mistake  to  figure  on  selling  breeding  stock  to 
any  extent,  unless  you  have  the  experience,  are  known  and  are 
equipped  to  handle  same. 

The  difference  in  the  profit  to  be  made  on  a  hundred  birds 
sold  for  breeding  purposes  at  a  year  old  for  a  fair  price  and 
what  could  have  been  realized  out  of  the  same  number  of  birds 
had  they  been  sold  at  four  weeks  old  for  squabs,  is  not  very 
large,  after  reckoning  the  expense  of  feed,  care,  housing,  adver- 
tising and  all  expense;  but  it  is  sufficiently  large  to  make  the 
business  profitable,  to  one  who  is  established  in  that  line.  And 
has,  by  years  of  advertising  in  magazines,  by  exhibiting  birds, 
nnd  through  satisfied  customers,  built  up  a  permanent  business. 
But  this  is  a  slow  undertaking,  and  one  should  give  careful  and 
due  consideration  before  entering  the  business  of  selling  squab 
breeding  stock. 

If  you  should  decide  to  enter  this  branch  of  the  business,  I 
would  suggest  that  you  proceed  as  follows:  First,  start  in  in  a 
small  way,  have  a  few  letterheads  printed  with  your  name 
and  address,  and  the  kind  of  birds  that  you  are  going  to  offer 
for  sale,  and  right  here  I  would  advise  that  you  confine  your 
business  to  one  breed  of  birds  only.  If  you  have  several  breeds 
you  certainly  have  one  breed  that  is  better  than  the  others,  or 
one  that  you  are  better  equipped  to  raise.  You  can  gain  nothing 
by  scattering  your  efforts,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  if  you  con- 
centrate on  a  single  breed  your  sale  talks  will  be  more  effective 
and  consistent,  you  will  have  to  have  fewer  houses,  a  smaller 
number  of  assorting  and  breeding  pens,  and  a  smaller  invest- 
ment in  breeding  stock. 

Next  you  should  run  a  small  ad.  in  a  good  Pigeon  Journal. 
Poultry  and  other  papers  are  all  right  for  large  breeders  to 
advertise  in,  but  will  not  pay  the  small  breeder,  as  such  ads. 
are  more  along  the  line  of  educational,  and  requires  considerable 
time  to  mature  them. 


172  ^  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

If  there  are  any  pigeon  shows  to  he  held  near-hy,  I  would  rec- 
ommend that  you  enter  some  of  your  hirds  in  the  classes  that 
you  are  most  likely  to  win  in,  and  be  present  at  the  shows  if 
possible,  where  you  will  meet  people  interested  in  the  business, 
and  thereby  gain  a  certain  amount  of  publicity.  After  the  show 
you  can  use  your  winnings  for  advertising  purposes,  but  I  would 
caution  you  against  placing  too  much  importance  on  shows,  and 
expecting  tou  great  or  immediate  results. 

In  selecting  and  raising  the  birds  you  expect  to  sell  for  breed- 
ing stock,  it  would  be  well  to  raise  only  a  few  more  pairs  than 
you  expect  to  need  for  your  own  plant  the  first  year,  then 
increase  your  stock  as  you  are  able  to  dispose  of  same,  which 
you  will  be  able  to  do  as  you  get  better  established  and  learn 
more  about  the  sale  of  breeding  stock. 

Most  every  ^quab  breeder  has  a  few  pairs  of  mated  birds  that 
he  can  spare  without  decreasing  his  breeding  stock  materially. 
It  is  a  good  plan,  therefore,  to  carry  a  small  ad.  in  the  pigeon 
papers  for  the  purpose  of  disposing  of  surplus  breeders.  But  if 
you  meet  with  material  success  along  this  line,  it  does  not 
follow  that  you  can  go  into  the  breeding  business  and  immedi- 
ately start  to  make  money,  for,  as  previously  stated,  the  sale  of 
breeding  stock  is  a  distinct  line,  and  one  that  cannot  be  jumped 
Into  on  short  notice  with  any  degree  of  success. 

RAISING   PIGEONS   TO   A   STANDARD 

Regardless  of  the  nature  of  the  business  engaged  in  or  to  be 
midertaken,  in  order  to  attain  success  in  any  degree,  it  is  nec- 
essary for  one  to  familiarize  himself  thoroughly  with  the  details 
and  possibilities  of  that  business  and  to  establish  an  ideal  con- 
dition towards  w^hich  to  work.  The  squab  industry  is  no  ex- 
ception to  this  rule,  and  it  is  at  all  times  necessary  to  work  to- 
wards advancement  in  all  branches  of  the  industry  and  es- 
pecially so  to  the  improvement  of  one's  breeding  stock. 

An  ideal  condition  can  never  be  attained.  Each  successful 
and  enthusiastic  breeder  will  raise  the  standard  of  perfection 
and  his  ideal  as  he  advances.  A  perfect  squab  plant  supplied 
with  a  perfect  stock  of  birds  that  will  produce  a  maximum  num- 
ber of  perfect  squabs  yearly,  therefore,  can  never  be  realized, 
but  we  can  and  should  at  all  times  strive  for  a  higher  grade  of 


PIGEONS  FOR  EXHIBITION  PURPOSES 


173 


perfection,  even  though  we  might  at  different  periods  surpass 
ideals  that  we  previously  hoped  to  attain.  The  improvement 
and  perfection  of  a  strain  of  s(|uah  prochicers  can  only  be 
brought  about  gradually;  it  is  not  practical  to  undertake  too 
rapid  advancement,  so  care  should  be  taken  not  to  i)lace  our 
ideals  too  far  ahead  of  present  conditions.  It  is  necessary,  how- 
ever, to  fix  a  standard  of  perfection  to  work  to,  and  then  do  only 
those  things  that  will  tend  to  bring  the  desired  results. 

In  order  to  make  money  raising  squabs,  a  necessary  muiiber 
nuist  be   produced  annually   from  eacli   pair  of  breeders.     The 


PRIZE   Wl.NM-NG  CARXEAU 


174  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

squabs  must  be  of  good  average  size,  of  a  grade  that  will  satisfy 
the  buyer,  and  the  amount  of  expense  for  feed  and  other  neces- 
sities must  be  in  keeping  with  the  production.  Then  we  must 
decide  on  certain  points  of  improvement,  such  as  light  meated 
squabs,  large  breasted,  well-matured  and  fat  squabs  at  the  proper 
selling  age,  and  a  uniformity  in  these  qualities.  To  attain  such 
a  condition  and  results,  we  should  improve  the  standard  of  our 
breeding  stock,  by  first  learning  the  size  and  shape  and  types 
old  birds  should  possess,  and  then  by  eliminating  fjom  our 
breeding  stock  the  poorest  type  birds,  and  those  that  are  farther 
from  the  desired  standard. 

A  flock  of  breeders  can  be  improved  mateiially,  and  bred  up 
toward  a  standard  by  the  method  of  elimination.  To  do  this, 
as  previously  stated,  one  must  have  a  fair  knowledge  of  what 
constitutes  a  good  breeder  and  the  standard  of  perfection  de- 
sired. He  should  have  as  perfect  a  check  as  possible  on  what 
each  pair  of  his  breeders  is  doing.  Then  he  should  discard  or 
elimiuate  his  slowest  producers,  the  birds  of  the  poorest  types 
and  shapes,  thoee  that  are  the  smallest  and  also  the  overgrown 
and  oversize  birds.  This  methoel  of  elimination,  however,  should 
be  gradual  and  considerable  care  and  attention  should  be 
given  to  the  eiuestion  of  results;  that  is  to  say,  it  is  not  always 
advisable  to  cull  out  the  undersized,  ill-shaped  bird  in  preference 
to  a  better  type  one,  for  the  reason  that  the  poorest  looking  bird 
might  be  producing  the  best  squabs  and  the  largest  number  of 
squabs.  As  a  rule,  this  will  not  be  found  to  be  the  case,  and 
by  a  slow  method  of  elimination,  now  and  then  discarding  an 
inferior  bird,  be  it  large  or  small,  and  replacing  it  with  one 
superior  in  size,  type  nearer  the  ideal  standard,  one  will  be 
surprised  at  the  progress  he  will  make,  and  how,  in  a  compara- 
tively short  time,  he  will  improve  the  average  quality  of  his 
entire  stock. 

Taking  the  Carneau  or  White  King  Pigeon  as  an  example, 
bens  that  weigh  less  than  18  ounces  shoulel  be  eliminated  as 
fast  as  they  can  be  replaced  with  better  birds,  and  cocks  that 
\Neigh  less  than  20  ounces  should  be  eliminated.  Personally, 
I  favor  hens  that  weigh  from  18  to  20  oimces  and  cocks  that 
weigh  from  20  to  22  ounces. 

^'oii  will  notice  that  CarneMiix  slaiid  with  Iheir  bodies  at  an 
angle  of  about  45  degrees.    They  have  full  rounded  breasts,  and 


PIGEONS  FOR  EXHIBITION  PURPOSES 


175 


their  legs  set  well  back  under  their  bodies.  Their  necks  are  an 
average  length,  not  too  short  nor  too  long.  They  have  broad 
shoulders,  tapering  back,  giving  their  back  a  wedge  or  flat 
iron  shape.  Their  legs  are  not  short  enough  to  give  them  a  duck 
like  appearance,  nor  long  enough  to  make  them  appear  lanky 
£ind  ungainly.  They  have  good,  thick,  substantial,  yet  graceful 
necks,  and  show  marked  vitality  and  vigor  in  their  general 
make-up    and    carriage. 

Carneaux  nor  White  Kings  tliat  stand  more  horizontally,  or 
more  perprndicularly  are  not  as  good  motliers  or  fast  i)reeders. 


LATEST  CARNEAU  IDEAL 


176 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


as  a  rule,  as  those  that  stand  at  a  natural  pose  as  these  birds 
do,  and  the  same  thing  applies  to  birds  that  have  too  long  or  too 
short  bodies  or  that  are  about  the  same  size  at  both  ends.  The 
wedge  shaped  bird  with  deep  keel  and  full  rounded  chest  is  by 
far  the  best  average  breeder. 

Oversized  birds  are  just  as  undesirable  as  undersized,  and  this 
is  tiTie  with  all  breeds  of  pigeons  or  fowls  of  any  kind;  yes,  I 
will  go  farther,  and  say  it  is  true  with  all  animal  kind,  includ- 
ing the  human  race.  Nature  itself  works  to  a  standard.  A  tall 
man  invariably  admires  a  short  woman,  a  large  man  a  small 


PAIR  OF   GOOD   TYPE   WHITE   KINGS 


PIGEONS  FOR  EXHIBITION  PURPOSES  177 

woman,  a  blonde  a  brunette.  A  quick,  irritable,  impulsive  person 
generally  feels  more  at  home  with  a  slower,  even  tempered 
person,  and  if  it  were  not  for  this  condition  the  human  race 
would  develop  into  extremes.  Likes  beget  like,  and  if  like 
attracted  like,  in  a  short  time  one  set  of  people  would  be  ex- 
tremely tall  and  another  set  extremely  short — giants  and 
midgets.  One  class  would  be  very  dark,  and  another  class  very 
light  complexioned  and  so  on.  Now,  what  is  true  with  people 
is  also  true  with  animals  of  any  kind,  including  pigeons;  so  in 
the  same  breed  of  pigeons  it  would  be  possible  to  develop  by 
selection  and  elimination  excessive  large  or  extremely  small 
birds.  Nature  again  has  guarded  against  extremes  by  a  safety 
first  idea.  In  pigeons  I  can't  say  that  they  mate  off  in  opposites; 
that  is,  that  a  small  bird  will  naturally  mate  with  a  larger  bird, 
but  I  do  know  that  if  two  extremely  small  l)irds  mate  or  two 
excessive  large  ones  mate,  their  offspring  will  not  be  as  plentiful 
as  will  be  the  mating  of  average  sized  birds,  and  I  do  believe 
that  nature  does  by  the  rule  of  restriction  in  production  main- 
tain a  uniformity.  We  can,  however,  assist  nature,  or  gradually 
drift  it  to  a  desired  result,  determining  in  advance  what  we 
wish  to  accomplish  along  certain  lines,  and  then  accomplish 
our  purpose  l)y  mating  and  remating  l)irds  of  different  types 
bv  selection  and  elimination  to  produce  the  desired  type. 


178 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


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CHAPTER  XIV 
PREPARING  SQUABS  FOR  MARKET 

GENERAL   APPEARANCE    OF    PRODUCT 

The  appearance  of  any  marketable  article  has  considerable 
to  do  with  the  price  received  for  it,  and  especially  so  with  an 
article  like  squabs  that  can  be  made  to  look  nice,  clean  and 
inviting  by  a  little  care,  or  will  appear  dirty  and  undesirable 
if  handled  carelessly. 

Squabs  should  be  picked  reasonably  clean,  and  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  tear  the  flesh.  The  head  should  be  left  on  with 
the  feathers  extending  about  half  way  down  the  neck.  The 
ieet  should  be  left  on,  but  well  washed  and  cleaned,  with  the 
feathers  picked  off  from  around  the  knees.  Dry  picked  squabs 
will  not  only  keep  better,  but  have  a  much  better  appearance 
than  squabs  that  are  scalded  before  picked.  The  placing  of 
squabs  in  cold  water,  for  a  few  minutes,  immediately  after 
picking  not  only  gives  the  squabs  a  plump  like  appearance, 
but  will  make  the  flesh  appear  much  whiter  and  nicer,  provided 
the  picking  is  done  before  the  animal  heat  has  left  the  body. 

For  special  private  trade,  it  is  not  a  bad  idea  to  wrap  each 
squab  in  wax  paper,  leaving  the  head  and  feet  unwrapped.  A 
specially  selected  carton  is  also  an  advantage  when  delivering 
to  private  trade. 

The  evenness  in  size  is  another  point  worth  watching.  Extra 
large  squabs,  or  extremely  small  ones  should  be  separated  from 
the  rest,  as  the  latter  will  make  the  entire  lot  look  smaller,  and 
the  former  will  not  be  appreciated.  All  of  these  things  have  a 
tendency  in  the  right  direction. 

Good  manners,  neat  appearance,  with  clean  hands  and  feet, 
has  its  effect  when  delivering  squabs  to  fastidious  trade,  and, 
in  fact,  with  all  classes  of  trade.  Points  of  this  nature  are  well 
worth  considering,  and  often  mean  more  for  the  success  of  a 
buifiness  than  one  can  estimate. 

17'J 


180  AMERICAN     SQUAB    CULTURE 

HOW   TO    KILL   AND    PICK   SQUABS 

Squabs  tlint  ai'c  to  be  niHrkcted  sboiild  be  taken  from  tbe  nost 
at  night,  placed  in  coops  where  they  will  not  be  too  crowded, 
then  killed  the  next  morning  when  their  crops  are  empty. 

They  should  be  killed  with  a  sharp  knife  by  cutting  the  roof 
of  their  mouth  and  throat,  through  the  beak.  Then  lock  their 
wings  and  hang  then  up  by  the  feet  to  bleed  and  pick.  Squabs 
are  marketed  with  the  head  and  feet  on.  As  soon  as  they  quit 
bleeding  take  them   down   and   pick   dry   before   they   get  cold. 

The  object  in  locking  their  wings,  by  twisting  them  one  over 
the  other,  is  to  prevent  the  dying  bird  from  flopping  and  throw- 
ing blood  over  everything  near-by;  this  should  in  fact  be  done 
before  the  squab  is  stuck.  A  good  rapid  picker  takes  l)ut  a  few- 
feathers  at  a  time,  pulls  the  feathers  against  the  grain,  so  to 
speak,  and  by  keeping  this  up  in  rapid  succession  is  able  to 
pick  a  squab  in  a  remarkably  short  time. 

About  the  most  t;imple  and  best  way  to  hang  s(iuabs  up  to 
bleed  is  to  drive  8-penny  nails  in  pairs,  about  H  inches  apart 
in  a  board.  The  nails  should  be  driven  about  one-third  the  way 
in  and  about  one-quarter  of  an  inch  apart,  or  just  far  enough 
to  permit  a  squab's  leg  to  go  between.  Another  way  is  to  fasten 
a  row  of  double  strings,  8  to  10  inches  long,  to  nails  driven  into 
a  board  about  6  inches  apart,  hung  up  in  a  convenient  place. 
Then  form  a  simple  half  hitch  loop  and  slip  it  over  the  squab's 
feet;  before  letting  loose  of  the  squab,  lock  its  wings,  as  above 
described.  A  number  of  squabs  in  this  way  can  be  strung  up, 
killed  and  bled  at  the  same  time.  Then,  as  fast  as  one  (juits 
bleeding,  take  it  down  to  be  picked,  and  replace  it  with  anotlier 
squab. 

Where  several  people  are  picking  at  the  same  time,  it  is  best 
for  one  to  do  the  killing  and  pulling  out  the  larger  feathers  in 
the  wings  and  tail,  and  the  others  do  the  balance  of  the  picking. 

As  soon  as  squab  is  picked,  its  wings  should  be  placed  over  its 
back,  and  thrown  into  a  tub  of  cool  water  to  plump.  The  grain 
or  feed  should  be  washed  out  of  a  squab's  crop  before  it  is 
packed  or  shipped  or  marketed,  as  the  grain  will  sour  and  spoil 
the  squab.  Then,  besides,  they  are  not  in  a  marketable  condition 
■with  the  crops  full. 

To  wash  the  crop,  hold  the  squab's  open  beak  undei"  a  run- 


PREPARING  SQUABS  FOR  MARKET  181 

ning  faucet  and  allow  the  crop  to  fill  with  water.  Then  take 
the  squab  in  the  right  hand,  by  the  back  and  legs,  and  by  a 
throwing  motion  towards  the  ground  throw  the  water  out  of  the 
crop,  and  with  it  will  come  the  grain  and  other  contents.  If 
it  does  not  all  come  out  the  first  time,  refill  with  water  and  re- 
peat the  process. 

It  pays  to  arrange  a  convenient  place  to  kill  and  pick  squabs, 
even  though  you  have  but  a  small  plant  and  may  only  kill  a 
few  birds  weekly.  It  will  be  found  best  to  do  this  work  indoojs 
and  a  cool  basement  or  wash  room  is  an  excellent  place.  A 
comfortable  seat  should  be  provided  and  all  such  arrangements 
should  be  made  in  advance. 

PICKING  SOUABS  BY   USE   OF  PARAFFIN 

Much  time  can  be  saved  and  better  results  obtained  by  using 
paraffin  when  picking  squabs,  and  as  the  paraffin  can  be  used 
over  and  over  again,  the  expense  is  a  small  consideration.  Of 
course,  all  the  larger  feathers  must  be  pulled  out  before  the 
squabs  are  dipped.  A  little  experience  will  teach  you  just  how- 
clean  to  pick  before  paraffining. 

To  prepare  the  paraffin  for  this  purpose,  put  it  into  a  kettle 
or  receptacle,  large  enough  to  permit  the  dipping  of  a  squab 
completely  under  the  liquid.  Paraffin  should  be  warmed  to  a 
degree  that  will  melt  it  into  an  oily  substance,  but  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  get  it  too  hot,  or  it  will  partly  cook  and  turn 
the  squabs  red  and  spoil  them.  The  paraffin  should  be  warm- 
not  hot.  A  good  test  is  to  hold  your  finger  in  the  melted  liquid 
and  if  it  is  too  hot  for  your  comfort  let  it  set  and  cool  a  while. 
It  will  cool  very  rapidly. 

To  apply  the  paraffin  hold  the  squab  ])y  the  head  and  feet, 
and  submerge  the  balance  of  the  body  under  the  paraffin.  Lay 
it  on  a  table  or  board  to  cool  a  few  minutes,  and  then  dip  again. 
Time  can  be  saved  by  dipping  several  squabs  in  succession  and 
then  by  the  time  the  last  is  dipped  the  first  is  cold  enough  to  dip 
the  second  time. 

After  the  paraffin  is  cool  it  will  turn  to  a  sperm-like  sub- 
stance, then  it  can  be  pulled  off  the  squab,  and  any  feathers  left 
on  the  s((uab  will  come  with  it.  Then  the  squab  should  be 
thrown  into  a  bucket  or  tub  of  water  to  plump.    When  squabs 


182  AMERICAN     SQUAB    CULTURE  ' 

are  to  be  paraffined,  they  should  not  be  put  in  water  to  cool 
until  paraffined,  as  paraffin  will  not  stick  to  wet  feathers. 

After  a  little  experience  in  this  method,  you  will  become  famil- 
iar with  the  necessary  temperature  to  have  the  paraffin  and 
about  the  time  it  will  take  the  paraffin  to  cool  before  it  can  be 
peeled  off  the  squab. 

When  the  paraffin  begins  to  get  too  thick  for  use,  set  the 
kettle  back  on  the  stove  and  heat  it  up  a  little,  always  taking 
care  not  to  get  it  too  hot.  A  coal  oil,  alcohol,  or  gas  burner 
will  furnish  ample  heat  to  melt  the  paraffin.  Save  the  paraffin 
with  the  feathers  in  it,  after  it  is  pulled  off  the  squabs,  for  later 
use;  but  before  it  is  used  a  second  time,  heat  and  strain,  so  as 
to  get  rid  of  the  feathers.  At  least  one-third  of  the  time  can  be 
saved  in  picking  by  the  use  of  paraffin,  and,  as  the  operation  is 
simple,  it  is  no  trick  to  learn  how,  and  easy  to  perform. 

SHIPPING    DRESSED    SQUABS 

I  recently  noticed  an  unsigned  article  in  a  magazine  on  ship- 
ping dressed  squabs,  written  by  a  Missouri  squab  raiser,  and 
he  stated  the  proposition  clearly  and  covered  certain  points 
well.     I  will  quote  the  letter,  which  is  as  follows: 

"We  received  some  letters  from  parties  who  are  anxious  to 
give  the  squab  industry  a  trial,  but  who  say  that  they  live  in 
small  towns  where  there  is  no  demand  for  squabs  or  that  the 
city  market  at  their  location  is  low. 

"These  conditions  are  small  factors,  and  can  be  easily  handled. 
In  fact,  we  know  of  no  industry  where  the  matter  of  securing 
the  pnoper  markets  can  be  be  so  easily  handled.  We  mean  by 
this  y\i\t  in  most  industries  the  near  markets  have  to  be  de- 
^pend^d  upon  exclusively,  as  it  would  cost  too  much  to  ship 
farther;  and,  also,  the  markets  farther  east,  as  a  rule,  do  not 
offej^  the  western  producers  enough  difference  in  other  lines  of 
industries  to  makfe  it  profitable  to  ship  in  small  quantities.  This 
is  the  case  with  poultry  of  all  kinds.  But  take  the  squab  indus- 
try. A  man  with  200  pairs  of  pigeons  will  have  six  dozen  of 
squabs  weekly  to  sell.  These  will  weigh  60  to  70  pounds. 
Properly  boxed  they  will  weigh  about  80  pounds.  The  cost  on 
80-pound  shipments  from  our  plant  to  New  York  City  is  $1.80, 
or  this  would  be  30  cents  per  dozen. 


PREPARING  SQUABS  FOR  MARKET  i^S 

'The  cost  of  shipping  to  Chicago  from  our  plant  is  $1.15  on 
this  size  shipment.    This  would  figure  19  cents  per  dozen. 

"Our  plant  is  located  in  Missouri,  175  miles  west  of  St.  Louis. 
This  makes  our  plant  about  1,500  miles  from  New  York  City, 
and  about  500  miles  from  Chicago.  You  can  see  then  that  no 
matter  where  you  live  you  can  reach  the  best  markets  at  a  very 
small  cost,  and  for  this  reason  you  need  not  depend  on  the  local 
markets  for  the  disposal  of  your  squabs.  Also,  the  farther  the 
distance  the  lesser  the  express  in  proportion. 

"If  you  live  say  2,200  miles  from  New  York,  which  would  be 
700  miles  farther  than  our  plant,  the  express  on  this  size  package 
would  amount  to  only  about  50  cents  more  than  it  would  from 
our  plant.  The  cost  of  exprcssage  is  figured  a  great  deal  less  in 
proportion  as  to  the  distance  it  is  to  be  hauled  is  increased. 
As  the  Chicago,  Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  all  the  larger 
Eastern  cities  are  always  willing  to  pay  large  prices  for  squabs 
you  can  readily  see  the  matter  of  getting  a  good  market  for 
your  squabs  is  one  that  need  not  bother  you.  But  most  of  the 
western  cities  are  becoming  good  squab  markets  and  we  look 
for  vast  improvements  in  the  next  two  or  three  years. 

"Now  as  to  the  safety  of  shipping  squabs  long  distances,  will 
say  that  this  is  easily  and  safely  accomplished.  During  the 
winter  months  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  pack  them  in  a  box 
and  mark  the  box  in  two  or  three  places  as  follows:  'Dressed 
Squabs -Keep  in  Cool  Place.'  Squabs  so  marked  will  keep 
in  fine  shape  three  or  four  days  in  the  winter.  In  the  summer 
they  should  be  packed  in  ice.  They  will  keep  easily  60  hours 
in  the  summer  when  so  packed,  but  if  shipping  in  summer  you 
should  use  the  returnable  containers,  which  have  a  chamber 
for  the  squabs  and  one  for  the  ice.  These  will  be  sent  back 
to  you  by  the  express  company  for  virtually  nothing.  In  no 
instance  over  25  cents  is  charged  for  returning  these  containers. 
In  summer  shipment  of  squabs,  where  ice  is  necessary,  there  is 
n  deduction  of  25  per  cent  allowed  by  the  express  companies 
from  the  gross  weight.  For  example,  if  your  box,  ice  and  squabs 
weigli  100  pounds,  you  would  be  charged  for  only  75  pounds." 

SHIPPING  SQUABS  TO  MARKET 
Squabs  are  shipped  alive  on  foot,  dead,  with  feathers  on,  and 
picked,  but  if  they  are  shipped  any   distance,  they  must  be 


184  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

packed  in  ice  or  sliipped  in  refrigerating  car  or  boat.  Express 
companies  allow  one-third  off  in  weight  for  ice.  There  are 
special  air-tight  receptacles,  but  the  average  shipper  uses  merely 
a  large  candy  bucket,  or  box,  packing  therein  a  layer  of  squabs 
and  then  a  layer  of  ice.  If  the  distance  is  very  great,  however, 
it  is  better  not  to  have  the  ice  come  in  direct  contact  with  the 
squabs.  Very  few  buyers  will  accept  birds  with  their  feathers 
on.  However,  some  prefer  to  receive  them  that  way,  and  will 
pay  about  as  much  per  dozen  for  them.  If  a  customer  of  this 
kind  can  be  secured,  it  is  much  easier  to  ship  with  the  feathers 
on  than  to  pick  them. 

When  squabs  are  shipped  alive,  they  must  not  travel  very  far. 
They  should  be  gathered  from  the  nest  after  feeding  in  the 
afternoon  and  be  received  before  noon  the  next  day.  In  this  way, 
they  start  with  their  crops  filled,  and  do  not  lose  any  weight  in 
transit.  A  cool,  dark  crate  or  box  should  be  provided  to  ship  in, 
and  not  over  a  dozen  birds  put  in  a  compartment,  otherwise 
they  will  crowd  on  top  of  each  other  and  smother.  Squabs  that 
are  received  alive  should  be  killed  immediately,  as  they  will  lose 
weight  if  not.  You  no  doubt,  understand  that  squabs  do  not 
know  how  to  drink  or  feed  themselves;  hence,  they  cannot  be 
held  over  without  considerable  loss,  and  after  a  couple  of  days 
they  would  deteriorate  in  quality  as  well  as  weight. 

SHIPPING  SQUABS  A  LONG  DISTANCE 

(Written   by   A   California    Breeder.) 

"California  breeders  readily  could  secure  prices  that  would 
be  worth  while  if  they  would  only  organize  an  association.  They 
should  get  together  and  then  stick.  In  this  state  we  have  all 
kinds  of  associations,  orange,  chicken,  egg,  berry,  rhubarb,  ap- 
ple, raisin,  etc.  All  are  successful  and  are  the  means  of  living 
prices,  and  profits  go  to  the  producer,  not  to  the  commission 
man.  They  stick  together  and  sell  through  their  associations, 
only,  and  by  doing  so  they  are  successful.  But  the  squab  breeder 
seems  unable  to  get  the  habit  and  then  keep  it. 

"We  organized  about  two  years  ago.  We  were  then  very 
green  at  the  business.  Handling  squabs  on  a  large  scale  was 
something  new.  We  had  to  learn.  This  learning  cost  money, 
but  we  kept  on.  About  six  months  ago  we  decided  to  incorpo- 
rate, and  things  seemed  to  be  started  on  the  right  road.     We 


PREPARING  SQUABS  FOR  MARKET  185 

were  handling  a  large  numl)er  of  squabs,  both  supplied  by  our 
members  and  shipped  to  us  from  various  points  in  our  state, 
paying  top  prices,  and  were  also  the  direct  cause  for  the  highest 
prices  ever  paid  in  the  San  Francisco  market. 

"After  experimenting  with  several  styles  of  shipping  cans, 
trying  to  ship  dressed  squabs  from  California  to  Chicago  and 
New  York,  we  have  at  last  solved  the  mystery  with  our  latest 
shipping  can  with  trays  and  ice  chamber.  Total  weight,  64 
pounds,  and  will  last  a  lifetime.  This  can  will  hold  from  15 
dozen  to  20  dozen  dressed  squabs,  weighing  9  pounds  average 
to  the  dozen.    These  cans  also  may  be  made  larger  or  smaller. 

"There  is  no  reason  why  squab  breeders  should  not  have  an 
association.  This  is  possible  if  they  will  put  on  their  thinking 
cap,  reason  a  little,  sacrifice,  if  necessary,  as  other  producers 
have  done.  Other  producers  have  succeeded,  why  not  the  squab 
breeders?  Shipping  cans  such  as  above  mentioned  are  most 
practical  and  can  be  made  at  a  small  cost." 

HOW   TO   SHIP  LIVE  PIGEONS 

A  box  or  crate  should  be  used  when  shipping  live  pigeons, 
according  to  the  number  of  birds  to  be  shipped  and  the  distance 
they  are  going  to  travel.  Any  kind  of  a  box  will  do  for  a  few 
pairs  that  are  only  going  a  short  distance,  but  if  they  are  going 
to  travel  any  distance,  a  feed  box  should  be  prepared,  with  a  feed 
hopper,  for  the  purpose  and  should  have  a  can  attached  for 
drinking  water.  The  expressmen  will  water  and  feed  birds 
if  arrangments  are  provided  for  that  purpose,  otherwise  they 
are  likely  not  to,  although  they  are  supposed  to  do  so. 

Birds  will  not  eat  nearly  so  much  en  route  as  they  would 
othenvise,  so  a  little  feed  will  last  for  a  long  trip.  I  favor  the 
plan  of  having  drinking  cups  arranged  so  the  expressmen  can 
take  the  cup  out,  fill  it,  and  set  it  back  in  place.  Usually  they 
have  no  way  of  putting  water  in  except  with  a  large  bucket  and 
invariably  this  causes  them  to  pour  the  water  all  over  the  birds 
and  usually  the  feed,  which  sours  and  makes  the  birds  sick, 
unless  a  convenient  way  is  provided. 

When  a  large  number  of  birds  are  to  be  shipped,  a  self-feeder, 
opened  on  both  sides,  can  be  built  through  the  center  of  the 
shipping  box,  with  a  space  four  inches  or  six  inches  square  left 


186  AMERICAN    SQUAB     CULTURE 

at  each  end  of  the  feed  hopper,  into  which  can  he  placed  the 
drinking  cup. 

Care  should  be  taken  not  to  have  any  cracks  near  the  bottom 
of  the  shipping  coop  for  birds  to  get  their  feet  or  wings  out  of, 
and  the  coop  should  be  high  enough  so  the  birds  cannot  stick 
their  heads  out  of  the  top,  for  they  are  apt  to  get  their  heads 
knocked  off  by  the  expressmen  pulling  another  crate  or  box 
across  the  top  of  the  coop  they  are  in.  It  is  also  not  a  good  plan 
to  have  openings  around  the  sides  to  cause  drafts.  Not  over 
15  or  20  birds  should  be  shipped  in  a  compartment,  as  they 
are  apt  to  pile  up  at  one  end  of  the  coop  on  top  of  each  other 
and  trample  or  smother  the  under  birds. 

HOW  TO  COOK  AND  SERVE  SQUABS 

If  squabs  are  for  home  use  it  is  just  as  well  to  cut  or  pull 
their  heads  off  as  to  bleed  them  to  death,  and  the  former  is  the 
easiest  and  quickest. 

After  a  squab  is  picked,  singe  the  hair  or  fuzzy  feathers  off 
over  a  blaze,  then  wash  in  cold  w^ater;  cut  off  the  feet  at  the 
knees;  cut  off  the  end  of  the  neck  if  it  is  bloodshot  or  extra  long. 
To  remove  the  entrails  split  the  squab  open  at  the  back.  Be 
sure  and  get  the  crop  and  its  contents  all  removed;  wash  again 
thoroughly  and  let  it  stand  in  salt  water  over  night  if  you  have 
time.     If  not  it  can  be  cooked  at  once. 

Squabs  can  be  stuffed  and  cooked  or  roasted  as  you  would 
a  chicken  or  a  turkey;  broiled  as  you  w-ould  a  spring  chicken 
or  a  quail.  Stewed  or  fricasseed  squabs  are  also  good,  but  fried 
squab  is  the  most  common  and  besides  being  the  most  simple 
and  easiest  to  prepare,  will  suit  the  taste  of  a  majority  of  people. 

How  To   Fry   Squabs 

The  old  fashioned  southern  way  of  frying  a  chicken  is  proba- 
bly the  best  way  to  fry  a  squab.  This  method  requires  a  lot  of 
grease  and,  therefore,  is  not  often  used  unless  there  are  a  num- 
ber of  squabs  to  fry.  Although  by  this  method  a  lot  of  grease  is 
needed  to  fry  the  birds  in,  they  are  not  at  all  greasy  when 
cooked  if  the  grease  is  kept  hot. 

Take  a  kettle  of  grease  and   let  it  get  extra   hot,  then  cut 


Preparing  squabs  for  market  187 

your  squabs  in  halves  as  you  would  a  spring  chicken  and  drop 
them  into  the  hot  grease.  There  must  be  enough  grease  to 
cover  the  squabs  completely  just  as  you  would  fry  doughnuts. 
You  can  put  in  several  halves  at  a  time  and  let  them  remain 
until  thoroughly  done,  which  will  only  require  a  few  minutes 
if  the  grease  is  kept  hot  enough.  Serve  on  a  platter  or  individual 
plates  while  hot. 

Another  way  to  fry  squabs  is  to  first  parboil  them,  then  pour 
off  the  water;  add  a  little  lard  or  butter  and  fry  quickly  over  a 
hot  fire.  While  squabs  are  not  good  unless  thoroughly  cooked 
care  should  be  taken  not  to  overboil,  as  they  are  very  tender 
and  will  fall  to  pieces  if  over-cooked. 

Squabs  can  be  fried  without  parboiling,  but  it  takes  a  little 
longer  to  get  them  done  all  the  way  through.  If  you  desire,  you 
can  roll  them  in  flour,  corn  meal  or  batter  before  frying.  The 
majority  of  people  like  them  the  best  without. 

Still  another  way  to  fry  squabs  is  split  the  birds  open  in  the 
back,  flatten  them  out  well  and  lay  face  or  open  part  down  in 
a  skillet  with  enough  lard  or  other  grease  to  keep  from  burning. 
Place  a  cover  over  the  birds  that  is  a  little  smaller  than  the 
skillet,  weight  the  cover  down  with  a  flat  iron  or  other  weight 
and  let  cook  slowly  until  well  done;  then  take  cover  off  and 
increase  the  heat  for  the  purpose  of  browning  the  squabs,  turn- 
ing them  over  for  each  side  to  brown. 

Squabs   Scalloped 
Butter  a  baking-dish.    Arrange  alternate  layers  of  cold,  cooked, 
sliced  squab  and  boiled  macaroni  or  rice.     Pour  over  Tomato 
Sauce,  cover  with  buttered  cracker  crumbs,  and  bake  in  a  hot 
oven  until  crumbs  are  brown. 

Squab  Souffle 
Take  the  breast  meat  of  several  squabs;  remove  all  skin  and 
sinews,  chop  very  fine.  Put  the  chopped  meat  in  a  skillet  or 
stew-pan,  add  some  whole  spice,  a  little  chopped  parsley;  salt 
and  pepper  to  taste;  stir  it  until  it  boils;  allow  it  to  cool  a  little; 
add  yolks  of  three  eggs  beaten  to  a  froth  and  stir  well.  Turn 
into  a  baking-dish  which  has  been  well  buttered  and  the  bottom 
covered  with  fine  cracker  crumbs.  Bake  in  a  very  quick  oven. 
Serve  with  sauce. 


18S  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

Squab  Pie 

Clean  well,  inside  and  out,  one-half  dozen  squabs  and  split 
them  in  half;  put  them  in  a  saucepan  with  about  two  quarts 
of  water;  when  it  boils,  skim  off  all  scum  that  arises;  then  add 
Salt  and  pepper,  a  bunch  of  minced  parsley,  one  onion  chopped 
fine,  and  three  whole  cloves.  Cut  up  half  a  pound  of  salt  pork 
into  dice,  and  let  all  boil  until  tender,  using  care  that  there  be 
enough  water  to  cover  the  birds.  Thicken  this  with  two  table- 
spoons of  browned  flour  and  let  it  boil  up.  Stir  in  a  piece  of 
butter  as  large  as  an  egg;  remove  from  the  fire  and  let  cool. 
Have  ready  a  pint  of  potatoes  cut  as  small  as  dice,  and  a  rich 
crust  made.  Line  the  sides  of  a  buttered  baking-dish  with  the 
crust;  lay  in  the  birds,  then  some  of  the  potatoes,  then  birds 
and  so  on,  until  the  dish  is  full.  Pour  over  the  gravy,  put  on 
the  top  crust,  with  a  slit  cut  in  the  center,  and  bake.  The  top 
can  be  ornamented  with  pastry  leaves  in  a  wreath  about  tlie 
edge,  witli  any  fancy  design  placed  in  the  center  across  the  slit. 

Old  Pigeon  Pie 

Take  half  a  dozen  pigeons;  stuff  eacli  one  with  dressing,  the 
same  as  for  turkey;  loosen  the  joints  with  a  knife  but  do  not 
separate  them.  Put  them  in  a  stewpan  with  water  enough  to 
cover;  let  them  cook  until  nearly  tender,  then  season  with  salt 
and  pepper  and  butter.  Thicken  the  gravy  with  flour;  remove 
and  cool.  Butter  a  baking-dish,  line  the  sides  with  a  rich  crust. 
Have  ready  some  hard  boiled  eggs,  cut  in  slices.  Put  in  a  layer 
of  egg  and  birds  and  gravy  until  the  dish  is  full.  Cover  with 
a  crust  and  bake. 

There  are  many  other  ways  squabs  can  be  cooked,  such  as 
squab  croquettes,  cold  squab  loaf,  squab  a  la  King,  etc.,  but  there 
is  no  way  as  simple  and  convenient  as  fr\ing  them  and,  if  prop 
eriy  fried  they  are  hard  to  beat. 

EDUCATING  THE  CUSTOMER  TO  GOOD  SQUABS 
AND  PRICES 

Eating  squabs  in  America  is  a  compaiatively  new  thing,  and 
the  sale  and  consumption  of  large  squabs  particularly  fitted 
for  the  table  is  newer  still.    There  are  many  people  throughout 


PREPARING  SQUABS  FOR  MARKET  189 

the  country  that  do  not  even  know  what  squabs  mean,  and 
many  more  who  do  not  know  that  there  is  a  difference  in  the 
size  and  flavor  of  squabs.  Their  impression  is,  that  a  squab  is 
a  young  pigeon  such  as  are  raised  by  boys,  or  fly  loose  in  the 
barnyards  of  the  farmers.  Squabs,  therefore,  do  not  appeal  to 
them  very  forcibly,  but  if  such  people  were  actually  acquainted 
with  the  real  commercial  squab  of  today,  they  would  be  eating 
it  and  singing  its  praise.  There  is  great  room  for  development, 
therefore,  along  the  line  of  education  in  all  towns  and  cities  of 
the  country. 

There  are  many  families  in  every  community  who  would  buy 
squabs  at  good  prices  at  regular  periods,  if  they  but  knew  the 
delicious  food  value  of  high-grade  squabs.  One  thing  that  has 
been  a  setback  to  squab  eating,  is  the  practice  of  cheap  restau- 
rants and  hotels  in  serving  poor,  inferior  squabs,-  or  even  old 
pigeons  as  squabs,  and  this,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  is  often  not  con- 
fined to  the  cheaper  restaurants  and  hotels,  but  it  is  sometimes 
practiced  by  high-grade  places.  The  public  is  not  sufficiently 
educated  to  know  what  they  should  get  when  they  order  a 
squab.  They  see  it  on  the  menu,  order  it  once,  do  not  find  it 
to  their  liking,  and  forever  after  are  firm  in  their  belief  that 
squabs  are  not  very  good  to  eat.  But  if  these  same  people  could 
be  induced  to  try  a  real  squab  of  good  size,  killed  at  the  right 
age,  they  would  be  surprised  at  their  past  ignorance  in  this  line. 

About  the  best  way  for  a  small  producer  of  squabs  in  an  out- 
lying district  to  establish  a  good  squab  trade,  is  to  make  a 
special  effort  to  get  some  of  the  best  families  in  the  community 
to  try  a  few  of  his  squabs,  even  if  it  is  necessary  to  give  them 
the  first  supply.  The  fact  that  the  Orthodox  Jews  do  not  eat 
pork,  make  them  splendid  squab  customers.  They  are  particu- 
larly fond  of  ducks,  geese,  and  other  fowls  that  carry  considera- 
ble fat  and  take  readily  to  squabs.  Then,  as  a  rule,  the  Jewish 
people  in  small  towns  and  villages  are  fairly  well  to  do,  and 
can  afford  to  pay  good  prices  for  what  they  desire  to  eat.  In 
working  up  a  private  trade  for  the  sale  of  squabs,  therefore, 
it  is  well  to  go  especially  after  the  Jewish  trade. 

Another  good  means  of  creating  a  squab  trade,  is  to  dress 
them  real  nice,  and  leave  them  at  a  local  market  to  sell.  If 
the  market  will  not  buy  them  outright,  leave  them  there  on  con- 
signment, with  instructions  that  they  be  sold  to  the  best  and 


190  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

most  particular  customers,  even  though  the  price  is  to  be  small, 
after  which  it  can  be  readily  raised  to  what  it  ought  to  be. 

Another  good  method  is  to  inquire  ahead  of  any  prospective 
dinners  or  banquets  to  be  served  publicly  or  privately,  and  ar- 
range for  squabs  as  a  part  of  the  menu,  even  though  the  ar- 
rangement is  to  be  made  at  a  sacrifice  in  price.  The  principal 
thing  is  to  get  the  people  to  eating  squabs  at  some  price,  and  then 
it  is  only  a  short  time  until  they  will  be  paying  fair  prices. 

It  is  folly  for  one  to  believe  that  he  can  start  in  the  squab 
business  and  find  a  ready  market  for  his  product,  without  some 
pioneer  and  educational  work.  This  is  where  many  beginners 
meet  their  first  discouragement.  With  the  start  they  do  not 
raise  enough  squabs  to  justify  them  to  ship  to  an  established 
market  in  the  city,  so  they  try  to  peddle  them  around  to  local 
markets,  hotels  and  restaurants,  and,  to  their  disappointment, 
are  either  offered  a  very  small  price,  or  no  price  at  all.  Then 
there  is  another  phase  to  the  question  and  that  is,  where  there 
is  already  an  established  demand  at  a  good  price,  buyers  will 
take  advantage  of  beginners  by  offering  him  a  very  small  price 
for  his  product,  and  often  will  state  very  positively  that  it  is 
all  squabs  are  worth.  It  is  a  bad  practice,  therefore,  to  wait 
until  you  have  squabs  to  sell  before  looking  out  for  a  market, 
and  it  is  better  to  distribute  them  around  to  private  families 
and,  thereby  create  a  demand,  than  it  is  to  try  and  peddle  them 
out  to  small  hotels  or  markets. 

Many  physicians  would  recommend  squabs  for  their  patients, 
if  they  knew  where  they  could  be  secured;  thereby  another  line 
of  trade,  can  be  supplied.  It  is  often  necessary,  however,  to  edu- 
cate the  physician  to  the  real  merits  and  value  of  squab  meat, 
the  same  as  other  inexperienced  people.  The  average  doctor  in 
the  country  believes  that  a  squab  is  a  small,  dark  meated  fowl 
that  weighs  about  one-half  pound.  To  convince  him  otherwise, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  serve  him  with  a  real  squab. 

Good,  well  fattened  squabs  will  readily  bring  from  private 
trade  from  30  to  60  cents  each,  according  to  weight,  and  the 
education  of  the  customer  and  his  ability  to  pay.  Ten  pounds 
to  the  dozen  squabs  after  dressed  would  bring  from  50  to  60 
cents  each  at  private  trade.  The  same  squabs  served  at  the 
best  hotels  and  cafes  in  the  cities  bring  from  $1.00  to  $1.50  each 
at  retail. 


CHAPTER  XV 

CONSTRUCTION   OF    SQUAB   HOUSES 

SQUAB  HOUSES  I  HAVE  SEEN 

There  has  been  more  development  m  scientific  farming  and 
stock  raising  along  practical  lines  the  last  fifty  years  than  dur- 
ing the  preceding  five  hundred  years.  This  has  been  chiefly 
due  to  the  education  of  the  producing  classes  brought  around 
by  the  improvements  in  travel  and  the  transportation  of  thought. 

It  is  no  longer  necessary  for  one  to  acquire  all  of  his  knowl- 
edge through  personal  experience  as  it  was  in  time  gone  by 
when  each  man's  world  was  bounded  by  the  horizon.  It  costs 
money  and  requires  time  to  experiment.  Therefore,  if  a  hundred 
men  can  profit  by  the  experience  of  one  or  ten  thousand  men 
by  the  experience  of  a  hundred  and  each  more  or  less  by  the 
experience  of  the  whole,  much  money,  time  and  labor  can  not 
only  be' saved,  but  improvements  will  come  that  much  faster  for 
thoughts  and  ideas  grow  as  they  travel. 

The  squab  industiy  is  comparatively  new  and  there  are  many 
squab  raisers  whose  experience  is  limited  by  the  knowledge 
they  have  chiefly  acquired  through  their  own  personal  efforts. 
As  I  have  made  a  study  of  squab  raising  for  years  and  have 
personally  visited  most  of  the  squab  plants,  both  large  and  small, 
throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada  and  have  made  it  an 
object  to  compare  the  methods  of  the  different  breeders,  I  feel 
that  the  information  so  gathered  should  prove  valuable  to  others. 

By  comparing  the  success  of  one  breeder  with  another  along 
with  his  methods  I  have  been  able  to  determine,  at  least  to 
my  own  satisfaction,  the  cause  of  success  or  failure.  I  have 
found  that  most  every  breeder  possesses  ideas  of  his  own  which 
are  detrimental  to  his  success  and  others  that  have  considerable 
merit.  Then,  too,  in  almost  every  plant  I  have  been  able  to 
obtain  an  idea  that  I  could  put  to  some  value.  If  not  direct,  I 
could  couple  it  with  an  idea  that  I  got  somewhere  else  and  by 
improving  the  two  combined  work  out  something  of  great  value. 

In  other  cases  I  find  large   successful   squab    breeders   were 

in 


192  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

following  a  few  old  ideas  that  were  costing  them  a  lot  of  time 
and  money.  I  propose,  therefore,  to  give  the  reader  the  benefit 
of  my  experience  that  I  secured  and  thereby  assist  him  in  mak- 
ing an  inexpensive  short  cut  to  success. 

Most  of  the  large  plants  in  the  East  and  in  Now  England, 
particularly,  build  their  squab  houses  with  an  aisle  to  the  rear 
of  their  nest  rooms  and  with  a  solid  wall  or  partition  between 
the  aisle  and  the  nost  rooms.  In  each  plant  I  visited  of  this  de- 
sign I  noticed  the  birds  were  unusually  wild.  They  would  start 
flying  off  the  nests  and  out  of  the  squab  houses  into  the  fly  pens 
the  minute  we  entered  the  building  and  would  stay  out  for 
some  time  after  we  came  out.  In  these  plants  I  always  noticed 
a  lot  of  cold,  deserted  nests  and  eggs.  In  one  plant  where  the 
partitions  between  the  aisle  and  nest  rooms  were  of  wire  so  the 
birds  could  see  us  as  we  passed  along  the  aisle  they  were  not  so 
wild,  and  it  was  here  that  I  got  my  first  idea  of  a  wire  i)artition 
between  the  aisle  and  nest  rooms.  Previous  to  that  I  had  built 
my  front  aisle  with  a  partition  of  solid  wood  between  the  aisle 
and  nest  rooms.  Since  then  I  have  wondered  why  I  went  to  the 
expense  of  building  a  solid  wood  partition  when  a  wire  partition 
was  better  in  every  way  and  much  cheaper. 

The  objection  to  having  the  aisle  in  the  rear  of  the  nest  rooms 
is  not  only  that  it  makes  the  birds  wild,  but  it  is  awkward  and 
unhandy. 

Most  of  the  New  England-  plants  have  gates  to  their  fly  pens 
at  the  opposite  end  from  the  house  so  when  they  want  to  get 
into  the  fly  pen  it  is  necessary  to  go  clear  around  in  front,  thus 
losing  a  great  deal  of  time. 

I  quote  below  from  a  letter  I  received  from  the  owner  of  a 
plant  I  visited  near  Boston  which  covers  the  difference  between 
the  front  and  rear  aisle  system  complete  in  a  few  words.  "Dear 
Mr.  Eggleston:  I  feel  very  grateful  for  the  suggestion  you  gave 
me  this  spring.  Shortly  after  you  were  here  I  changed  the  plan 
of  one  of  my  houses  and  built  the  aisle  in  front  and  of  wdre 
instead  of  boards.  This  is  going  to  cost  me  a  lot  of  money 
because  I  like  it  so  well  that  I  am  going  to  change  all  of  my 
other  houses.  But  I  am  sure  I  will  gain  back  the  expense  of  the 
change  before  the  year  is  over.  The  convenience  of  your  aisle 
plan  of  feeding  alone  is  enough  to  cause  me  to  change  the  aisle 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


198 


194  AMERICAX     SQUAB     CULTURE     , 

to  the  front.  After  trying  your  nest  system  for  three  months  1 
wonder  why  some  one  else  did  not  think  of  it  before." 

In  New  York,  New  Jersey  and  along  the  eastern  coast  I  found 
quite  a  few  breeders  had,  in  order  to  eliminate  the  evils  of  the 
aisle-in-rear  plan,  done  away  with  the  aisle  entirely  and  put  in 
doors  from  one  nest  room  to  another  near  the  front  of  the  house 
so  they  would  enter  each  nest  room  near  where  the  birds  went 
out  into  tlie  fly  pen.  In  this  way  the  birds  would  have  to  fly  by 
them  to  get  out.  This  method  I  found  served  the  purpose  fairly 
well  of  keeping  the  birds  from  flying  out  of  the  house  every  time 
one  entered  it. 

The  objections  to  this,  however,  are  that  the  swinging  doors 
bother  the  birds  and  the  birds  will  sometimes  fly  by  through 
the  doors  as  you  go  in  and  thus  get  mixed  with  other  birds  in 
adjoining  nest  rooms.  Then,  some  birds  seem  to  persist  in 
building  their  nrsts  on  the  floor  where  you  will  have  to  step 
over  them  every  time  you  enter  the  nest  room.  With  this  plan 
I  noticed  quite  a  number  of  nests  on  the  floor  near  the  doors, 
generally  in  the  corner  of  the  room  next  to  the  fly  pen.  Another 
objection  to  this  plan,  the  door-in-the-partition  plan,  is  tbat  it 
takes  a  lot  of  time  to  go  tlirougli  several  nest  rooms  and  open 
and  close  a  lot  of  doors. 

Sqvjiab  breeders  in  many  of  the  southern  states  and  in  Cali- 
fornia have  adopted  an  open  front  squab  house  with  the  nest 
boxes  along  the  rear  wall  and  I  have  seen  quite  a  few  plants  in 
the  north  built  along  the  same  plan  except  with  a  closed  front. 
This  plan  generally  includes  the  gate  in  front  of  each  fly  pen. 

There  are  two  principal  objections  to  this  plan.  With  the  nests 
on  the  rear  wall  only,  one  loses  one-half  of  his  nest  space,  as 
twice  as  many  nests  can  be  put  on  two  side  walls  as  on  one 
back  wall.  Then  the  birds  are  compelled  to  face  a  strong  light 
as  they  sit  on  their  nests,  which  they  do  not  like  to  do  as  squabs 
do  not  do  as  well  in  a  nest  where  the  light  shines  directly  on 
them  as  they  do  in  a  nest  on  the  side  wall  where  the  nests  are 
darker. 

By  having  the  nests  on  the  back  wall  and  the  door  in  front 
when  you  enter  the  nest  room  every  bird  on  the  nest  sees  you 
and  if  you  start  towards  them  they  all  think  you  are  going  to 
bother  them.  It  is  hard  to  catch  a  bird  with  such  a  plan  for 
banding  or  other  purposes  as  they  are  much  more  apt  to  fly  off 


'JONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES  195 

the  nests  than  when  the  nests  are  on  the  side  wall.  With  the 
side  nests  you  do  not  go  directly  towards  the  birds  as  you  pass 
into  the  room  and  then  they  are  partially  hidden  and  if  they  see 
you  they  think  that  you  do  not  see  them. 

When  entering  fly  pens  with  the  gate  at  the  outer  end  I  found 
that  the  birds  will  all  chase  out  of  the  pen  back  into  the  nest 
room  then  as  you  go  into  the  nest  room  they  will  all  fly  past 
you  out  into  the  fly  pen  causing  more  or  less  of  a  panic  and 


ONE-UNIT    SQUAB   HOUSE 
Note  that  this  is  built  on  the  aisle-in-front  plan  with  overhead  chute. 

keeping  the  birds  disturbed  every  time  the  nest  room  is  entered 
The  open  front  squab  house  is  the  proper  thing  for  the  South 
and  the  Pacific  Coast  States,  but  the  house  should  be  built  with 
the  aisle  m  front  just  the  same.  Instead  of  having  only  the  par- 
tition between  the  nest  rooms  and  the  aisle  made  of  wire  both 
this  partition  and  the  outer  front  wall  should  be  made  of  wire 
I  laid  out  and  superintended  the  building  of  a  32  unit  squab 
house  in  Los  Angeles  built  on  this  plan  in  1914,  and  while  I  at 
first  had  some  doubt  as  to  the  birds  taking  to  the  overhead  chutp 
readily  I  was  quite  sure  they  would  find  them,  and  they  did 
immediately. 


196 


AMERICAN    SQUAB     CULTURE 


When  both  front  walls  are  wire  the  light  conies  in  below  the 
chute  and  the  birds  can  naturally  see  right  through  the  wire 
into  the  fly  pen.  The  exit  chute  being  high  up  and  not  so  easy  to 
see,  I  questioned  the  birds  finding  them  very  easy,  but  the 
second  day  they  were  all  out  in  the  fly  pens  and  all  readily 
found  their  way  back  to  the  nest  rooms.  By  this  experience  I 
learned  that  the  aisle  in  front  and  the  overhead  chute  will  work 
as  well  with  an  open  front  house  as  a  closed  one. 

The  California  and  southern  breeders  have  developed  a  good 
idea  in  fly  pen  running  boards.  They  build  them  on  either  side 
which  is  far  better  than  the  old  ladder-like  arrangement  that  is 
so  commonlv  used  in  the  east  and  central  states.    The  differ- 


FLY    PEN    AND    SQUAB    HOUSE    READY    FOR    THE    BIRDS 


ence  in  these  two  systems  of  fly  pen  perches  is  all  in  favor  of 
the  southern  idea.  The  objection  to  the  ladder  plan  is  that  it  is 
hard  to  catch  birds  in  a  fly  pen  with  one  of  these  constructions 
in  it.  If  the  birds  light  on  the  top  round  it  cannot  be  reached, 
or  if  they  get  back  of  the  ladder  on  the  ground  they  are  hard  to 
get  to. 

I  w^as  once  visiting  a  squab  plant  and  the  owner  had  asked 
me  to  make  any  suggestion  that  I  saw  fit,  and  in  reply  to  my 
suggestion  that  I  liked  the  single  lunning  boards  along  the 
sides  better  than  the  kind  he  had  as  it  made  it  easier  to  catch 
birds,  he  asked  "Why  should  a  person  be  catching  his  birds 
so  much?"  In  less  than  three  minutes  he  was  in  his  fly  pen 
trying  to  catch  a  bird  to  remove  a  tight  band  and  was  chasing 
it  all  over  the  pen  and  scaring  all  the  other  birds. 


Construction  of  squab  houses        li^ 

There  are  several  advantages  to  the  southern  idea  of  fly  pen 
running  boards.  They  are  less  expensive,  more  easy  to  construct 
and  the  birds  like  them  better.  The  short  flight  across  the  fly 
pen  from  one  board  to  another  offers  good  exercise  for  the  birds 
and  they  like  a  flat  surface  to  light  on  better  than  the  edge  or 
corner  of  a  board  that  they  have  to  light  on  with  the  ordinary 
ladder  perches.  It  is  easier  to  clean  a  fly  pen  that  has  the  run- 
ning boards  on  the  side  than  where  there  is  a  ladder  to  clean 
under. 

The  western  plan  of  a  small,  low  fly  pen  is  also  better  than 
the  large,  high  pen  used  in  the  eastern  states.  The  roof  of  a 
fly  pen  should  not  be  over  7  feet  high,  61/2  is  the  best  height.  It 
makes  the  birds  wild  to  have  the  roof  of  the  fly  pen  so  high  that 
they  can  fly  over  your  head  when  you  are  in  the  pen.  They  are 
much  harder  to  catch  and  this  also  makes  them  wild.  As  an 
example,  you  can  put  a  chicken  in  a  small  coop  where  it  cannot 
get  out  of  your  reach  and  you  can  pick  it  up  at  will  without  it 
getting  frightened,  but  put  the  same  chicken  out  in  a  big  yard 
and  see  how  hard  it  is  to  catch. 

The  door  or  gate  to  the  fly  pen  sliould  be  through  the  squab 
house  and  there  should  be  a  door  leading  direct  to  every  pen 
and  no  door  from  one  pen  to  another. 

Probably  the  greatest  difference  in  squab  house  construction 
is  the  nest  box  system  used  by  the  different  breeders  all  over 
the  country.  The  majority  of  people  starting  in  the  business 
adopt  the  old-fashioned  foot  square,  open  front  boxes  and  extend 
them  from  the  ceiling  to  the  floor.  This  is  not  a  very  satisfac- 
tory method  and  they  set  out  to  improve  it  and  the  result  is  that 
a  lot  of  different  plans  have  developed,  and  as  most  of  them  are 
improvements  over  the  original  each  person  is  more  or  less  par- 
tial to  his  own  plan. 

The  flrst  noticeable  defect  to  the  plain  foot  square  nest  system 
is  that  there  is  nothing  in  front  of  the  nests  and  birds  leaving  the 
nests  hurriedly  are  apt  to  drag  the  eggs  and  even  young  squabs 
out  of  the  nests.  With  a  four-inch  board  across  the  front  of  the 
nests  the  birds  have  a  protection  to  build  behind  which  has 
several  advantages.  If  the  birds  leave  the  nests  hurriedly  they 
invariably  step  up  on  the  four-inch  board  before  starting  to  fly 
which  makes  it  almost  impossible  to  drag  eggs  or  young  out 
of  the  nests  as  they  leave  it. 


198 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


The  board  across  the  front  will  keep  the  other  old  birds  from 
flying  right  in  the  nests  on  top  of  its  occupants.  If  a  bird  by 
mistake  flies  into  a  nest  it  generally  starts  a  fight  thinking 
that  some  bird  has  -its  nest. 

Each  pair  of  pigeons  needs  two  nests  as  they  have  squabs  in 
one  nest  and  eggs  in  another.  With  the  old  plan  several  pairs 
will  likely  build  in  a  particular  section  of  the  room  occupying 
all  the  nests  in  that  section.  Then  when  a  pair  is  ready  to  lay 
the  second  time  all  the  adjoining  nests  are  taken  and  as  a  result 
they  generally  lay  back  in  the  nests  with  their  squabs,  which  is 


END  VIEW  OF  SQUAB  PLANT— EGGLESTON  PLAN 


bad  for  several  reasons,  or  they  do  not  start  to  work  until  their 
squabs  are  old  enough  to  leave  their  nests. 

To  provide  a  double  nest  some  breeders  in  the  eastern  states  use 
a  nesting  system  known  as  the  "T"  double  nest.  This  style  of 
nest  has  some  advantages,  but  the  principal  objection  is  that  the 
squabs  will  climb  over  to  the  other  half  of  the  nests,  when  they 
get  about  three  weeks  old  and  bother  the  old  birds  on  eggs,  often 
breaking  the  eggs  or  crowding  the  mother  bird  off  of  them, 
thus  allowing  the  eggs  to  get  chilled.  The  old  birds  in  order 
to  avoid  being  thus  bothered  by.  their  squabs  will  often  build 
in  another  double  nest  which  requires  two  double  or  four  nests 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES  199 

for  one  pair.  While  the  "T"  system  is  more  easy  to  clean  than 
the  old  method  on  account  of  the  front  and  middle  partitions 
being  removable,  it  is  not  as  easy  to  clean  as  nests  with  re- 
movable bottoms. 

The  old  method  of  building  the  nest  boxes  from  floor  to  ceil- 
ing is  a  bad  practice,  the  top  nests  are  hard  to  get  at  as  you 
cannot  see  in  them  unless  you  climb  up  on  something  and  the 
nests  down  near  the  floor  are  also  hard  to  get  into  and  squabs 
will  leave  the  nests  near  the  floor  before  they  should,  which 
will  make  them  poor  and  stunt  their  growth. 

When  I  was  a  boy  and  lived  in  the  country  w^e  had  common 
pigeons  and  my  father  constructed  long  rows  of  outside  nest 
boxes  on  top  of  a  shed  under  the  eaves  of  our  barn;  in  front  of 
each  row  of  nests  he  nailed  a  four-inch  running  board  the  full 
length  of  the  barn.  Our  pigeons  took  to  these  boxes  readily  but 
rome  old  cocks  took  to  them  too  well  and  claimed  more  nests 
than  they  npeded.  As  a  preventative  to  this  we  boys  nailed  some 
short  upright  boards,  fencing  off,  so  to  speak,  the  nests  into 
pairs  allowing  a  short  running  board  two  feet  long  in  front  of 
each  two  nests.  This  plan  worked  like  a  charm  and  is  where  I 
got  my  first  idea  of  the  double  nest  plan,  and  from  this  I  have 
developed  the  Eggleston  Double  Nest  System.  I  find  that  the 
question  of  properly  housing  and  providing  practical  and  con- 
venient equipment  goes  a  long  way  towards  the  success  of  a 
squab  plant  and  that  too  little  attention  is  given  these  import- 
ant matters  by  the  average  squab  breeder. 

The  aisle-in-front  plan  with  the  overhead  chute,  the  double 
nest  system  with  nests  on  the  side  walls  only,  the  proper  feeding, 
watering  and  bathing  arrangements  coupled  with  the  other 
modern  and  practical  ecpiipment  I  have  worked  out  and  perfect- 
ed, such  as  the  Eggleston  grit  box,  tobacco  stem  holder  and  a 
collapsible  mating  coop  attached  to  the  wall  in  the  aisle  that 
folds  up  out  of  the  way  when  not  in  use,  will  save  more  than 
half  the  time  in  caring  for  the  birds  and  will  produce  much 
better  results.  The  best  of  all  it  costs  less  money  to  construct 
and  looks  better  when  completed  than  any  other  plant  that  I 
have  ever  seen, 


200  AMERICAN     SQUAB     CULTURE 

SPEED  AND  ECONOMY  VS.  OLD  FASHIONED  METHODS 

Tho  Eg^leston  improved  methods  will  save  much  time  and 
himber.  An  inexi)erienred  person  can,  by  following  these  articles 
on  construction,  produce  a  more  desirable  and  better  looking 
job  in  less  time  than  an  experienced  workman  can  build  along 
old  fashioned  ideas.  A  carpenter  or  anyone  handy  with  tools 
can  do  much  hetter  by  these  methods  than  by  his  regular  way 
of  doing  such  things. 

These  methods  npply  to  construction  on  a  large  or  small  scale, 
\\hether  for  permanent  or  temporary  purposes  and  although 
they  may  seem  complicated  owing  to  the  detailed  description, 
still  i\  practical  demonstration  will  prove  that  they  are  short 
cut,  simple  easy  ways  of  producing  the  best  results. 

By  following  these  plans,  one  will  not  only  save  in  time,  labor 
and  material  in  building,  but  will  also  realize  the  saving  of 
much  time  and  labor  every  day  thereafter  to  say  nothing  of  the 
many  conveniences  and  the  better  results  obtained. 

Adopt  these  plans  in  their  entirety  and  you  will  obtain  one- 
hundred  i)tr  cent  results  with  the  least  amount  of  expense  and 
effort. 

THE   KIND    OF  A   SQUAB    HOUSE   TO   BUILD 

Before  constructing  a  squab  house  or  rearranging  a  building 
for  squab  raising  purposes,  one  should  familiarize  himself  with 
the  subject  of  squab  raising  and  give  some  thought  to  the  needs 
of  pigeons  and  how  a  squab  house  should  be  built  and  arranged 
so  as  to  be  able  to  make  it  practical  and  efficient,  or  follow  the 
plans  of  those  who  know  how  squab  houses  should  be  built, 
which  is  really  the  best  way. 

The  majority  of  people  who  start  into  the  squab  business  or 
who  increase  their  squab  plant  will,  in  the  course  of  a  year  or  two, 
make  several  changes  in  the  plan  of  construction.  This  is  due 
to  lack  of  knowledge  as  to  what  is  the  best  plan.  It  is  true 
that  temporary  arrangements  can  not  always  be  made  accord- 
ing to  plans  and  often  a  temporary  squab  house  is  so  gradu- 
ally worked  into  a  permanent  one  that  it  is  hard  to  follow 
any  definite  lines  in  the  way  of  construction,  nesting  arrange- 
ments, etc,     But  if  the  person  in  charge  of  the  construction 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


201 


of  even  a  temporary  place  for  pigeons  has  a  knowledge  of 
pigeons  and  their  needs  and  is  familiar  wit*h  the  best  plans 
for  squab  houses  and  equipment,  they  will  start  their  tem- 
porary arrangements  along  certain  lines  and  then  as  they  de- 
velop and  extend,  they  will  grow  into  a  fairly  well  arranged 
squab  house. 

Considerable  stress  should  be  laid  upon  the  plans  and  equip- 
ment of  a  squab  house,  even  a  small  or  temporary  one,  for  the 
accommodation  of  birds  in  the  way  of  the  room  they  occupy, 
fly  pen  arrangement,  and  their  nests,  has  considerable  to  do 
with  the  way  they  start  to  work,  their  health  and  general  con- 
ditions and  the  number  of  squabs  they  will  raise. 


t                           ■     -    -    " 

^=^-^=5 ; 

rr" 

y 

ONE-UNIT    SQUAB   HOUSE   WITH   GARAGE   IN   THE   REAR 


The  average  beginner  and  often  experienced  breeders  are  too 
apt  to  pass  lightly  over  this  and  conclude  that  anything  will  do 
temporarily  and  that  eventually  they  will  make  the  necessary 
changes  and  arrangements.  It  costs  no  more  and  generally  less 
to  make  the  proper  arrangements  to  start  with,  even  though  old 
lumber  is  used  and  an  old  building  is  utilized.  To  do  it  right 
takes  less  time,  less  material  and  makes  a  much  more  convenient 
place.  These  facts  are  multiplied  when  considering  the  differ- 
ence between  a  newly  constructed  squab  house  along  proper 
lines  and  an  improperly  constructed  one. 

In  visiting  squab  plants,  I  have  noticed  that,  as  a  rule,  more 
lumber  and  material  has  been  used  and  more  work  put  in  than 
is  necessary  to  construct  and  equip  a  house  that  would  be  more 
satisfactory,  less  expensive  and  more  pleasing  to  the  eye.    Why? 


202 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


Because  the  builder  undoubtedly  did  not  give  sufficient  thought 
and  study  to  his  proposition  and  perhaps  treated  the  subject  too 
lightly.  Right  here  I  might  add  that  it  is  natural  for  people  to 
have  different  ideas  regarding  such  matters  and  also  for  each 
person  to  think  the  plan  or  idea  he  has  worked  out  is  possibly 
a  little  better  and  superior  to  the  other  fellow's,  for  the  reason 
that  he  knows  why,  as  a  rule,  he  favors  such  plans,  and  is  more 
familiar  with  same  than  he  is  with  the  why-fors  and  the  plans 


riLST 


R.OOt^ 


1  aa^uuu^n 


H£5T- 

R.oori- 


GROUND    FLOOR    PLAN    FOR    FOUR-UNIT    SQUAB    HOUSE 
Note    the    aisle-in-front    construction    with    door    leading    into    nest 
rooms  and  fly  pens  opposite  each  other. 


of  others.  The  average  squab  raiser  will  disagree  with  you  on 
the  construction  of  a  squab  house,  nest  boxes,  etc.,  because  his 
is  different. 

There  is  so  much  difference  in  the  plan  of  construction  and 
equipment  that  there  will  be  arguments  by  each  user  against 
all  other  plans  except  his  own.  There  is  undoubtedly  a  best 
plan  and  a  best  method  of  construction,  and  the  best  way  to 
arrive  at  this  is  to  find  the  various  different  things  that  are 
used  by  the  majority  of  squab  breeders  and  the  things  that  will 
meet  approval  of  these  people,  even  though  they  might  not 
be  generally  in  use. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


203 


At  the  present  time  the  writer  has  on  his  plant  newly  con- 
structed buildings,  built  according  to  specially  laid  plans  that 
have  been  worked  out  after  years  of  practical  experience  and 
much  thought  on  this  subject,  and  without  a  single  exception 
squab  breeders  of  local  and  national  reputation  who  have  visited 
this  plant,  have  approved  of  every  detail  of  this  construction. 
Some,  however,  have  at  first  offered  objections  to  certain  ideas, 
because  they  used  different  plans,  but  when  these  things  have 
been  explained  to  them  and  proved  by  test  and  demonstration 


-  ri TT 

Jji 


FRAME  CONSTRUCTION  FOR  END  OF  SQUAB  HOUSE 


to  be  correct,  they  have  been  quick  to  agree  and  approve  of 
same.  As  an  illustration:  Recently  a  man  visited  the  plant  who 
has  several  thousand  squab  breeders,  but  has  been  using  the 
single  nesting  system.  In  going  out  to  the  plant  he  stated  that 
he  did  not  believe  the  double  nest  system  would  keep  birds  from 
building  back  in  the  same  nests  with  their  young  and  that  two 
pairs  would  frequently  be  found  to  occupy  one  double  nest. 
That  is  to  say  one  pair  would  build  in  one  nest  and  another  pair 
in  the  connecting  nest.  He  also  stated  that  by  building  the  nest 
up  off  the  floor  20  inches,  and  having  the  nest  on  two  side 
walls,  with  a  light  going  into  the  nest  room  from  the  front  and 


204  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

the  rear,  would  not  tend  to  keep  birds  from  building  on  the  floor. 
These  were  the  three  things  that  he  was  doubtful  about. 

After  going  through  the  entire  plant,  nest  room  after  nest 
room,  and  not  finding  a  case  where  birds  had  laid  back  with 
their  young,  and  only  one  case  where  two  pairs  had  occupied 
the  same  double  nest,  and  but  a  very  few  birds  nesting  on  the 
floor,  he  remarked  that  he  had  learned  more  about  construction 
of  squab  houses  and  nest  boxes  in  an  hour's  time  in  examining 
this  plant  than  he  had  during  all  the  rest  of  his  experience  in 
the  business,  which  covered  several  years'  time. 

Mr.  Frank  Lee  Miles,  president  of  the  International  Carneau 
Club,  recently  went  through  this  same  plant  and  vohmteered 
to  write  me  a  letter  expressing  his  approval  of  same. 

Pigeons  are  not  chickens.  They  require  a  different  kind  of 
a  building  and  different  arrangements,  and  if  a  person  is  not 
familiar  with  pigeons  and  squab  raising,  he  should  not  conclude 
that  a  house  constructed  along  the  lines  of  a  chicken  house  is 
what  he  wants,  but  should  read  up  on  the  subject  and  familiar- 
ize himself  before  going  to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  construct- 
ing a  house  that  is  not  going  to  be  practical.  The  average  car- 
penter has  no  idea  as  to  what  is  needed  in  the  way  of  the 
construction  of  a  squab  house  and  even  if  you  tell  him  what  is 
wanted,  he  cannot  build  it  economically  for  the  reason  that  he 
is  accustomed  to  constructing  buildings  along  entirely  different 
lines.  He  will  use  more  material  and  lumber  than  is  needed, 
take  up  more  time,  and  the  construction  will  be  heavy,  cumber- 
some and  very  impractical.  As  an  example:  If  you  show  the 
average  carpenter  a  picture  of  the  nest  boxes  and  tell  him  to 
construct  same  along  that  line,  he  will  put  up  a  row  of  shelves, 
running  his  boards  horizontally,  and  then  divide  them  off  by 
short  boards  nailed  in  for  partitions.  He  will  then  saw  up  his 
removable  nest  bottoms  and  slide  them  iii  on  top  of  these 
shelves,  making  a  double  nest  bottom,  consuming  unnecessary 
lumber  and  making  almost  an  impossible  place  to  clean;  where, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  long  boards  should  be  run  up  and  down 
with  cleats  every  11  inches  on  each  to  slide  in  the  removable 
nest  bottoms,  which  plan  is  much  easier  to  construct  and  re- 
quiros  jrss  lnml)er  and  is  what  you  \Aant  after  you  get  it  finished. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


205 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  ONE  OR  MANY  UNIT  SQUAB  HOUSE 

One  can  build  the  house  as  a  carpenter  would  by  first  putting 
up  the  frame  work  and  then  nailing  on  the  siding  or  you  can 


FRAME  CONSTRUCTION  FOR  FRONT  OF  SQUAB  HOUSE 
The  above  is  for  sing-le  unit  construction.  Where  there  are  two  or 
more  units  the  construction  is  practically  the  same  with  the  exception 
that  the  top  and  bottom  runners  extend  to  the  middle  of  the  last  per- 
pendicular 2x4  instead  of  beyond  as  shown  in  above  figure,  or  the  top 
and  bottom  pieces  can  extend  right  along  the  full  length  of  the  front. 

make  each  side  and  ends  on  a  pair  of  trussels  and  then  set 
these  sections  in  place  and  nail  them  together. 

The  best,  quickest,  simplest  and  cheapest  way  to  build  a  squab 
liouse  of  either  one  or  many  units  is  to  completely  make  the 
ends  and  all  inner  partitions,  which  are  the  same  size  as  the  ends 


206  AMERICAN     SQUAB     CULTURE 

if  the  house  is  built  on  the  Egglestoii  plan,  before  setting  them 
up  in  place. 

A  single  unit  house  should  be  Sxl4  feet  which  allows  for  an 
SxlO  foot  nest  room  and  a  4x8  foot  aisle.  The  aisle  should  be 
in  front;  that  is  between  the  nest  room  and  the  fly  pen.  A 
double  unit  house  should  be  16x14  feet  which  allows  for  two 
8x10  foot  nest  rooms  and  a  4  foot  aisle.  A  three  unit  house 
24x14.  A  four  unit  house  32x14  and  so  on,  adding  8  feet  for  each 
additional   unit. 

If  one  has  the  room  it  is  much  better  to  build  a  double  unit 
rather  than  a  single  iniit  house  to  start  with  as  the  expense 
would  be  but  little  more  and  the  house  would  be  a  better  pro- 
portioned building. 

FIRST- -Build  the  floor  the  size  your  house  is  to  be,  14x16  for 
a  double  unit  house  for  instance.  To  make  the  floor  first  ntiake 
a  frame  out  of  2x4  lumber,  take  two  2x4's  14  feet  long  and  8 
pieces  15  feet  and  8  inches  long.  Place  the  8  pieces  2  feet  apart 
and  nail  the  two  14  feet  pieces  across  the  ends  of  same.  Then 
cover  this  framework  with  flooring.  Floors  for  additional  units 
\y\\\  be  the  same, 

SECOND— Build  the  two  ends  as  follows:  Make  a  frame  6 
feet  high  at  back,  7  feet  high  in  front,  14  feet  across  the  bottom 
and  8  feet  from  the  center  of  the  gable  to  the  ground.  Make 
the  gable  directly  over  the  point  w^here  the  partition  will  stand 
between  the  aisle  and  the  nest  room.  That  is  4  feet  back  from 
the  front  of  the  house  nail  in  a  2x4  from  the  center  of  the  gable 
to  the  floor  and  provide  for  a  door  entering  the  aisle  in  one  of 
Vhe  ends,  depending  upon  the  end  the  door  will  be  most  con- 
venient for  you  to  use. 

Then  nail  in  two  2x4  scantling  horizontally  between  the  up- 
right 2x4  at  the  rear  and  the  upright  2x4  running  down  from 
the  center  of  the  gable.  The  upper  piece  should  be  just  under 
the  roof  at  the  rear  and  the  lower  piece  should  be  45  inches 
below  the  same.  This  will  provide  a  space  for  a  row  of  double 
nests  (see  article  on  how  to  build  double  nests)  and  a  frame 
on  which  to  nail  the  siding,  provided  the  siding  is  put  on  up 
and  down. 

THIRD — Make  a  frame  the  same  size  and  manner  as  the  end 
frames  for  a  partition  between  the  squab  rooms.  Then  set  the 
two  ends  and  the  partition  up  on  the  floor  8  feet  apart,  that  is 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


207 


have  the  two  ends  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  floor  and  the  parti- 
tion through  the  center  of  the  house.  Spike  the  ends  and  par- 
tition frames  to  the  floor,  run  2x4's  from  end  to  end  at  the  front 
and  back  top  corners  and  another  2x4  along  the  gable  from  end 
to  end  as  a  ridge  pole.     Nail  in  additional  rafters  2  feet  apart 


FRAME  CONSTRUCTION  FOR  REAR  OF  SQUAB  HOUSE 
The  above  is  for  single  unit  construction.  When  more  than  one  unit 
is  desired,  the  construction  is  the  same  except  the  top  and  bottom 
pieces  extend  only  to  the  center  of  the  last  perpendicular  pieces  instead 
of  two  inches  high  as  shown  in  figure.  This  will  allow  nailing  space 
for   continuation   of  the   top   and   bottom   pieces. 


and  put  on  the  roof  which  can  either  be  shingle  or  roofing  paper. 
FOURTH — Run  two  additional  upright  pieces  two  feet  apart 
in  front  on  each  side  of  where  the  door  leads  from  aisle  to  fly 
pen;  after  which  you  are  ready  to  nail  on  the  siding.  The  sid- 
ing can  be  put  on  up  and  down  or  horizontally.  Tongue  and 
groove  flooring  running  up  and  down  makes  a  good  material 


208  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

for  this  purpose,  or  drop  or  lap  siding  can  be  used.  If  the  boards 
are  run  up  and  down,  no  extra  pieces  are  necessary  for  the  frame 
work,  as  there  will  be  plenty  to  nail  to. 

There  should  be  a  door  leading  into  each  fly  pen  opposite  the 
door  in  the  nest  room.  Also  a  window  at  the  back  of  the  house 
in  each  nest  room  near  the  roof.  By  having  the  window  high 
in  this  manner,  it  will  furnish  plenty  of  light  and  air  and  at 
the  same  time  no  direct  draft  wdll  blow  on  the  nests.  On  the 
outside  of  the  window  should  be  nailed  one-inch  mesh  chicken 
wire  to  keep  the  birds  in  when  the  window  is  open  and  also  to 
keep  the  sparrows  out.  Heavier  wire  can  be  used  if  there  is 
danger  of  some  one  crawling  through  the  window  and  stealing 
the  birds. 

If  you  are  building  a  squab  house  with  more  than  two  nest 
rooms  you  will  need  two  ends  only  but  an  extra  partition  for 
each  additional  room.  If  you  desire  to  enlarge  the  house  at  a 
later  date  you  can  take  out  one  end,  put  a  partition  in  its  stead 
and  set  it  up  at  the  end  of  the  new  section,  or  you  can  build 
entirely  new  sections  and  join  them  on  the  old  sections. 

The  front  aisle  partition  between  the  nest  room  and  the  aisle 
should  be  made  of  2  inch  mesh  chicken  wire  with  a  wire  door 
2  feet  wide  in  the  center  of  each  nest  room  aisle  partition  with 
a  slatted  section  18  inches  high  and  3  feet  wide  on  either  side 
of  the  door  at  the  bottom  of  the  partition  for  pigeons  to  feed 
through,  this  slatted  section  will  naturally  not  be  full  3  feet 
wide  on  account  of  the  space  taken  up  by  the  2x4  upright,  the 
slats  should  be  18  inches  long  and  one  and  one-half  inches 
wide,  not  over  one-half  inch  thick  and  placed  one  and  one-half 
inches  apart.  Ordinarily  lath  will  do  if  lattice  or  other  material 
cannot  be  secured. 

The  wire  on  the  aisle  partition  should  be  put  on  in  two  strips 
6  feet  and  2  feet  wide  respectively  and  long  enough  to  go  to 
full  combined  width  of  the  nest  rooms.  To  nail  the  wire  on 
stretch  it  the  full  length  of  the  aisle,  across  the  door  opening 
and  all.  Set  in  the  door  frames  and  nail  the  wire  on  the  2x4 
uprights  that  form  the  door  casings  and  to  the  door  frames,  then 
cut  the  wires  between  the  door  frame  and  the  door  casing, 
hang  the  door  with  hinges  so  it  will  swing  out  into  the  aisle, 
nail  a  strip  on  the  door  casing  for  a  stop  to  keep  the  door  from 


Construction  of  squab  houses 


209 


210  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

swinging  into  the  nest  room,  attach  a  screen  door  coil  spring  to 
the  door  and  the  casing  to  pull  and  hold  the  door  shut. 

I  neglected  to  state  that  there  must  be  a  2x4  two  feet  long 
nailed  in  at  the  top  of  each  door  to  complete  the  door  frame 
and  a  2x4  about  2  feet  6  inches  long  nailed  horizontally  17  inches 
above  the  floor  to  nail  the  Slats  on  to.  There  should  also  be 
a  one  inch  thick  strip  nailed  on  the  floor  on  either  side  of  the 
door  for  the  same  purpose. 

SQUAB   HOUSES  FOR  SMALL  PLANTS 

A  squab  house  for  a  small  plant  can  be  arranged  at  a  small 
expense  and  a  small  temporary  place  will  produce  fairly  good 
results.  I  recommend  the  double  nest  system,  however,  even 
if  there  are  only  two  pairs  to  be  provided  for.  A  corner  in  a  barn 
loft,  chicken  house,  garage,  or  most  any  outbuilding  can  be 
partitioned  off  with  wood  or  wire  and  converted  into  a  nest  room 
with  little  expense.  It  is  advisable,  ho\vever,  to  have  the  birds 
where  they  will  get  some  light,  fresh  air  and  not  too  hot  in  sum- 
mer. 

Pigeons  can  stana  considerable  heat  or  cold,  but  they  do  not 
work  near  as  fast  in  close  warm  rooms,  and  if  their  place  is 
too  open  or  cold,  eggs  are  apt  to  freeze,  especially  in  a  climate 
where  they  have  zero  weather.  Artificial  heat  is  not  necessary 
and,  in  fact,  it  is  a  disadvantage. 

Pigeons  will  generate  enough  heat  from  their  bodies  to  keep 
their  eggs  and  young  warm,  provided  their  nests  are  not  ex- 
posed too  much  to  the  weather.  A  few  birds  can  be  kept  nicely 
and  will  do  fairly  well  without  a  fly  pen,  if  they  are  confined 
in  a  building  where  they  have  plenty  of  light  and  air. 

The  same  general  plan  should  be  followed  with  a  small  or 
temporary  house  as  with  a  large  one.  (See  articles  "Squab 
Houses  for  Large  Plants"  and  "How  to  Build  a  One  or  Many 
Unit  Squab  Hoiise.") 

SQUAB   HOUSES  FOR  LARGE  PLANTS 

The  nest  rooms  and  fly  pens  for  a  large  plant  should  be  built 
on  the  same  plan  and  according  to  the  dimensions  as  is  described 
in  the  article  on  "How  to  Build  a  Squab  House,"  except  the  num- 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


211 


TOTCnr;  r 


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212  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

ber  of  units  that  are  to  be  in  each  liouse  should  be  taken  into 
consideration  and  planned  at  the  start  according  to  the  ground 
space  available,  size  of  j)lant  tlesired  and  other  surroundings. 
A  squab  house  with  more  than  twelve  units  is  inconvenient,  as 
it  places  the  center  units  too  far  from  the  points  of  entrance  and 
the  exits.  With  a  twelve  unit  house  it  should  be  divided  with 
six  units  on  each  side,  leaving  a  space  in  the  center  between  the 
two  divisions  of  at  least  four  feet  for  a  passageway  between. 

A  good  plan  is  to  divide  a  twelve-section  house  by  leaving  a 
space  of  about  6  or  8  feet  between  them.  Put  a  roof  over  same 
and  board  uj)  the  front  and  back,  thereby  making  a  little  room 
at  this  point.  A  door  should  then  be  placed  in  the  front  and 
back  of  this  little  room  to  afford  a  passageway  and  making  it 
unnecessary  to  go  clear  around  the  house  in  order  to  get  from 
the  front  to  the  back  of  it  or  vice  versa. 

Any  number  of  houses  with  several  sections  of  12  units  each, 
can  be  built  one  in  front  of  the  other,  leaving  a  space  of  about 
20  feet  between  each  row  of  houses,  which  will  provide  12  feet 
for  a  fly  pen,  one  foot  for  a  drinking  trough,  and  leave  enough 
room  to  drive  a  wagon  through  between  the  front  of  the  fly  pen 
and  the  next  house  if  desired.  However,  if  ground  is  not  avail- 
able or  scarce,  the  houses  can  be  placed  16  feet  apart,  which 
will  leave  ample  room  for  a  passageway  between  the  fly  pen 
and  house  in  front  of  same. 

Each  of  these  rows  of  houses  should  be  divided  into  sections 
of  six  nest  rooms  each,  with  a  space  between  as  mentioned 
above,  and  it  is  best  to  make  these  spaces  6  or  8  feet  wide  and 
close  them  in  as  rooms.  Any  number  of  such  little  rooms  will 
be  very  useful  for  feed,  nesting  material,  picking  rooms  and 
various  other  purposes. 

A  ten  unit  nest  room  divided  into  sections,  5  on  each  side, 
with  a  space  between,  makes  a  very  practical  squab  house,  and 
5  of  these  10  unit  buildings  would  take  up  a  space  of  90x170  feet, 
which  would  accommodate  2,000  pairs  of  birds. 

PREPARING  GROUND  FOR  SQUAB  PLANT 

A  location  should  be  selected  that  will  be  convenient  to  water, 
where  feed  can  be  hauled  to  the  plant  in  a  wagon,  and  while 
it  is  not  advisable  to  build  too  close  to  your  residence,  vet  the 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


213 


214 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


squab  house  should  not  be  too  far  away  on  account  of  thieves 
or  meddlesome  boys. 

The  size  of  the  plant,  whether  you  live  in  town  or  the  country, 
and  the  location  of  other  buildings  should  govern  to  a  large 
extent  the  location  of  your  plant. 

You  should  select  fairly  level  ground,  if  convenient,  a  space 
that  will  enable  you  to  face  your  building  to  the  south.  An 
east  or  a  north  front  is  better  than  a  west  front,  on  account  of 
the  afternoon  sun  shining  directly  against  the  front  of  the 
building. 

The  ground  should  bo  level  and  graded  up  in  a  way  the  water 


CROSS  SECTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSE 
Perspective    view   of   aisle   showing  overhead   chute   and   mating   coops 


will  run  off  and  away  from  the  squab  house  and  fly  pen.  If 
you  can  secure  a  load  ur  two  of  gravel,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  cover 
the  ground  for  some  distance  around  the  plant  with  it.  This 
will  assist  in  draining  the  water  off  and  in  keeping  the  ground 
from. getting  muddy  in  bad  weather.  Cinders  will  answer  al- 
most as  well,  but  gravel  should  be  used  in  the  fly  pens,  as  cind- 
ers cut  the  birds'  feet  and  do  not  furnish  any  grit  for  them  to 
eat  like  gravel  will.  Cinders  make  a  good  thing  to  put  under 
the  squab  house  to  keep  the  rats  from  digging  under. 

The  ideal  conditions  are  to  have  the  ground  around  the  house 
and  fly  pen  sown  with  grass  seed,  the  fly  pen  covered  with 
gravel,  and  the  ground  under  the  house  filled  up  with  cinders 
and  gravel  or  cement  walks  leading  to  and  around  the  plant. 


CONSTRUCTION   OF   SQUAB   HOUSES  215 

HOW  TO  BUILD  A  SQUAB   HOUSE 

There  are  many  things  to  be  taken  into  consideration  when 
building  a  squab  house,  \iz.:  economy  in  cost  of  construction, 
economy  in  time,  both  as  regards  to  the  time  saved  in  the  con- 
struction and  time  saved  in  caring  for  the  birds  after  the  house 
is  built.  The  welfare  of  the  birds  and  the  kind  of  a  house  that 
will  produce  the  best  results  must  also  be  considered.  The 
house  must  be  built  so  as  to  be  warm  in  winter  and  cool  in 
summer,  and  should  look  nice  outside  and  in.  This  may  not 
seem  necessary,  but  a  squab  house  can  be  made  attractive  as 
easily  as  not.  It  costs  no  more  and  generally  less  to  construct 
something  pleasing  to  the  eye,  so  why  not  bear  this  in  mind 
when  building?  If  one  builds  along  the  lines  described  in  the 
following  paragraphs,  the  house  will  add  to  the  beauty  of  the 
general  landscape  rather  than  detract  from  it. 

AISLE-IN-FRONT  PLAN 

By  having  an  aisle  between  the  nest  room  and  fly  pen,  a  squab 
plant  is  almost  doubled  in  efficiency,  and  this  is  especially  true 
with  reference  to  convenience  and  time  saved  in  feeding,  water- 
ing, cleaning  and  caring  for  the  birds. 

If  you  are  not  familiar  with  aisle-in-front  plan,  you  cannot 
fully  appreciate  its  advantages  until  you  can,  by  actual  test, 
try  out  and  compare  the  front  aisle  plan  as  against  houses 
constructed  on  other  plans. 

With  the  aisle  in  front,  the  birds  will  not  fly  out  every  time 
one  enters  the  building.  You  pass  between  the  birds  and  fly 
pen;  they  would  have  to  fly  by  you  to  get  out,  so  do  not  do  so, 
and  soon  they  get  accustomed  to  people  passing  along  the  aisle 
and  become  very  tame  and  gentle. 

With  the  aisle  in  front  the  birds  will  mate,  build  their  nests 
or  feed  their  young  while  you  stand  in  the  aisle  and  watch 
them  through  the  wire  partition.  This  enables  you  to  keep  a 
perfect  check  on  your  birds  and  catch  and  band  mated  pairs 
with  little  trouble.  This  is  especially  true  if  your  nests  are  on 
the  side  walls  of  the  nest  room  and  built  on  the  Eggleston  double 
nest  plan. 

With  the  aisle  in  front,  one  man  can  feed  and  care  for  more 
than  three  times  as  many  birds  than  he  could  without  the  aisle. 


!16 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


With  this  constnaction  it  is  not  necessary  to  enter  the  nest  room 
to  feed.  The  feed  boxes  are  in  the  aisles.  This  advantage  alone 
is  worth  consideration. 

The  wire  door  between  the  aisle  and  nest  room  should  be 
opposite  the  door  leading  to  the  fly  pen,  and  vice  versa.  With 
the  aisle  in  front  the  mating  coops  can  be  placed  in  the  aisle, 
which  will  make  them  handy  to  the  nest  room.  Sacks  or  bins 
of  feed,  grit  and  other  supplies  can  be  kept  in  the  aisle 
conveniently.  This  is  a  special  advantage  with  a  small  plant, 
as  it  saves  building  a  feed  house. 


PERSPECTIVE  VIEW  OF  FRONT  AISLE 
Note    the    overhead    chutes    and    feed    boxes    in    place. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


217 


^^'ith  these  and  other  advantages,  and  the  fact  that  a  house 
built  with  less  work  and  cheaper  than  one  with  the  aisle  in  the 
rear,  make  the  advantages  all  in  favor  of  this  method  of  con- 
struction. In  California  and  Southern  States,  the  front  wall 
should  also  be  made  of  wire,  which  will  make  an  open 
front  house. 

Even  if  you  already  have  your  house  constructed,  it  will  pay 
you  to  remodel  it  and  run  an  aisle  along  between  the  nest  room 
and  the  fly  pen  with  a  wire  partition  between  the  aisle  and  the 
nest  rooms. 


WIRE    PARTITION    SHOWING    OPENINGS    TO    EXIT    CHUTES 
Front  partition  between  nest  room  and  aisle  showing-  openings  lead- 
ing to  exit  chutes.     Note  feed  boxes  are  in  place  on  each  side  of  door. 


HOW    TO    CONSTRUCT    OVERHEAD    EXIT    LEADING 
FROM   NEST   ROOM   TO   FLY   PEN 

This  passageway  should  be  one  foot  wide  and  at  least  8  inches 
high.  The  sides  should  be  made  of  slats  or  wire,  so  birds  will 
not  build  in  it,  and  the  bottom  should  be  made  of  a  1x12  board 
and  be  removable,  so  as  to  be  taken  down  and  cleaned.  The 
sides  of  the  exit  chute  can  extend  clear  up  to  the  roof  of  the 
house.  (See  exit  drawing.)  If  the  top  of  the  fly  pen  does  not 
extend  up  to  the  top  of  the  outlet,  the  v^ire  can  slant  up  a  foot 
or  so  near  the  building.    (See  "Fly  Pen"  drawing.)    The  bottom 


218 


AMERICxVN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


of  the  chute  should  ho  at  least  6  feet  from  the  floor  of  the  aisle, 
to  permit  a  tall  peri-ou  to  walk  under  same.  Six  feet  2  inches 
is  a  better  height. 

To  make  the  bottom  removable,  nail  a  small  cleat  across  the 
under  side  of  the  1x12  bottom,  11/2  inches  from  each  end  of  same, 
making  this  bottom  board  about  2  inches  longer  than  the  aisle 
is  wide,  so  that  an  inch  will  extend  into  the  hole  leading  to  nest 
room,  and  another  inch  extending  into  the  hole  leading  to  the 
fly  pens.  The  cleats  will  prevent  the  board  from  slipping  or 
falling  down  and  the  board  can  be  taken  down,  cleaned  and 
put  back  up  easily.  There  should  be  two  of  these  exits  for  each 
nest  room,  one  leading  from  each  side. 


EXIT  CHUTES  SHOWING  REMOVABLE  BOTTOM 


^ 


'^F=^' 


FLOOR  OF  EXIT  CHUTE 
This   floor  is  made   removable  for  the   purpose   of  cleaning 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  FLY  PEN 

The  best  and  most  practical  size  for  a  fly  pen  is  6  feet  and  4 
inches  high,  12  feet  long  and  as  wide  as  the  loft  room  it  is  to 
be  used  in  connection  with.  Eight  feet  is  the  width  of  loft  I 
advise,  but  a  foot  or  two  wider  than  that  is  all  right,  especially 
when  the  house  is  already  built.  Any  space  more  than  10  feet 
for  the  width  of  fly  pen  or  nest  room  is  unnecessary  and  a  dis- 
advantage. Such  extra  space  can  be  utilized  for  unmated  birds, 
youngsters,  feed  bins,  grit  and  nesting  material, 


CONSTRUCTION  OF   SQUAB  HOUSES 


219 


If  the  builder  of  fly  pens  will  follow  these  instructions  care- 
fully, and  read  them  as  he  builds  (as  is  advised  when  building 
squab  house  and  nest  boxes),  he  will  find  the  instructions  sim- 
ple and  easy  to  construct. 

First  make  up  as  many  frames  out  of  2x4  or  2x3-inch  lumber, 
6  feet  4  inches  wide  and  12  feet  long,  as  there  are  to  bo  onus  and 


SIDE   OF  EXIT   CHUTE 
Exit  chutes  can  be  made  with  wire  sides  but  slats  are  preferable. 


partitions  in  the  fiy  pen  being  built.  That  is  to  say,  for  a  single 
fly  pen  make  up  2  ends.  For  a  double  unit  pen,  2  ends  and  1 
partition.    For  a  6-unit  fly  pen,  2  ends  and  5  partitions. 

What  is  meant  by  end  is  the  length  that  extends  out  from  the 
building.  These  ends  should  be  made  and  braced  across  the 
corners  and  covered  with  chicken  wire  before  they  are  set  up 
in  place.  Ends  and  partitions  are  made  the  same  way  and 
are  just  alike. 


220 


AMERICAN    SQUAB     CULTURE 


If  they  are  made  6  feet  4  inches  nigh,  they  can  be  covered  with 
a  6-foot  strip  of  wire.  Shingle  nails  are  better  and  much  easier 
to  nail  the  wire  on  with  than  the  little  wire  staples  that  come 
with  the  wire.  Drive  the  nails  in  about  half  way,  hook  the  wire 
over  them,  and  then  bend  down. 

After  these  frames  are  made,  then  put  the  ends  and  partitions 


FLY  PEN  AND  RUNNING  BOARDS  EGGLESTON  CONSTRUCTION 
You  will  note  from  the  above  drawing  that  the  running-  boards  are 
so  arranged  that  a  pigeon  can  reach  the  entrance  above  the  door  by- 
three  short  flights.  First  from  the  ground  to  the  front  running  board, 
then  to  the  side  running  board  and  on  the  running  board  above  the  door. 
The  cut  shows  the  front  running  board  extending  through  from  one 
unit  to  another.  To  do  this  the  wire  between  the  units  will  have  to 
be  cut  but  short  running  boards  can  be  put  up  in  between  the  widths 
of  each  unit  without  cutting  the  wire.  It  requires  fewer  boards  when 
extended   clear  through. 


up  in  place  against  the  squab  house,  8  feet  apart,  then  nail  a 
2x4  across  the  front  at  top  and  another  across  at  the  bottom  the 
length  of  your  fly  pen,  run  a  brace  from  the  top  center  at  each 
end  to  the  top  comer  of  the  same  unit. 

These  braces  are  necessary  to  keep  the  wire  from  bending 
the  2x4  at  each  end  when  wire  is  stretched.  This  will  complete 
the  frame  work. 


CONSTRUCTION   OF   SQUAB   HOUSES 


221 


Then  cover  the  top  with  2  strips  of  chicken  wire  6  feet  wide 
and  the  front  with  one  strip  6  feet  wide.  These  strips  should 
be  run  with  the  building.  First  nail  one  edge  of  the  wire  to  the 
building,  then  the  two  ends,  then  put  on  second  strip  and  nail 
the  outside  edge  to  the  front  of  the  frame,  then  the  ends  and 
then  pull  the  two  inside  edges  of  wire  together,  and  by  the  use 
of  a  6  penny  nail,  twist  the  wires  together,  which  is  a  better 


CORNER  AND  CENTER  POST  CONSTRUCTION  FOR  FLY  PEN 


and  quicker  way  than  tying  together  with  a  piece  of  wire,  as  is 
generally  done.  Where  there  is  more  than  one  unit  do  not  nail 
the  top  or  front  strips  of  wire  to  the  partitions.  If  the  wire  is 
put  on  right  by  this  method,  it  will  l)e  as  tight  as  a  drum  %vith 
but  little  stretching. 

There  should  be  a  door  or  gate  leading  into  each  fly  pen  unit. 
The  best  place  to  have  these  doors  is  from  each  nest  room  or 
the  aisle  opposite  each  nest  room,  but  if  this  is  not  practical, 
place  a  wire  gate  outside  near  the  squab  house. 

Always  keep  in  mind  when  building  your  squab  hous;o  that 
you  are  the  one  who  is  going  to  take  care  of  the  birds  and 
therefore  make  it  as  convenient  as  possible. 


2-^2  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

HOW  TO  MAKE  WIRE  DOOR  FRAME  AND  GATE 

An  easy  and  simple  yet  neat  and  durable  way  to  make  a  wire 
door,  a  wire  gate  or  a  window  or  door  sash  to  be  covered  with 
cloth,  is  as  follows: 


A 


'J 


a^ 


^ 


)\ 


FRAME  CONSTRUCTION — DOORS,  TVINDOWS  OR  FLY  PEN  GATES 
Frames   constructed   as  above   when   covered   with  wire  need   no   ad- 
ditional bracing. 

Take  four  1x2  strips  of  lumber  as  long  and  wide  as  the  door 
or  gate  is  to  be,  allowing  2  inches  off  the  two  longer  or  side 
pieces,  which  two  inches  is  made  up  by  the  thickness  of  the  two 
shorter  or  end  pieces  lapping  over  same.     Nail  the  two  short 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  SQUAB  HOUSES 


223 


pieces  across  the  ends  of  the  long  pieces  witli  edges  up  or  out, 
just  as  if  you  were  making  a  box  2  inches  deep.  This  is  the 
catch  part  of  the  operation — most  people  will  lay  the  strips  down 
flat  and  nail  them  together  that  way,  whereas  the  pieces  should 
be  stood  on  edge,  which  will  make  a  smooth  even  frame. 

To  brace  a  door  or  gate  frame  saw  off  a  1x2  inch  piece  2 
inches  shorter  than  the  frame  is  wide  over  all  and  nail  it  through 
the  center  edges  up  or  out  the  same  as  the  outer  pieces.  Then 
stretch  the  wire  over  the  frame  and  your  job  is  ready  for 
hanging. 


L. 


•il-CT^ 


PE-TAU-EP  ViE.  W5-P00R5-T0-TLY-Pt.t^5-         ^ 

VENTILATED    DOORS   TO  FLY  PEN  ^\5 
The    above    drawing    illustrates    the    use    of    canvas    og^  cloth    covered 
sash  to  be  put  in  single  squab  house  doors  in  place- of  ^t;4ss.     This  will 
furnish   air   as   well   as    light   and    can   be   removed    in   warm      weather. 
Small  sash  can  be  used  in  squab  house  windows  instead  of  glass. 


1x3  or  1x4  inch  lumber  can  be  used  instead  of  1x2  inch  stuff, 
but  in  either  case  the  edges  should  be  up  when  the  frame  is 
laying  down.  The  wire  will  brace  the  frame  so  all  that  is 
needed  is  a  brace  through  the  center  to  keep  the  wire  from  pull- 
ing the  sides  in  and  the  same  is  true  where  the  frame  is  to  be 
covered  with  cloth.  1x2  inch  lumber  is  heavy  enough  for  most 
any  door. 


CHAPTER    XVI 

EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES 

EGGLESTON  DOUBLE  NEST  SYSTEM 
The  [act   tliat    leading  squab  plants  all   omv  tli(>  country  arc 

tearing  out  their  old  nests  and  rei)lacing  them  with  the  Eggles- 

ton  double  nests  more  and  more  each  yaw,  is  r\idence  that  this 

nest  system  is  the  best. 
The  Eggleston  nesting  system  proNides  ( ach  pair  of  biids  with 

a  double  nest,  as  is  necessary  lor  fast  scpiab  producing  pigeons. 


PGGI.ESTOX  DOUBLE  NEST  BOXES 

Z2^ 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES 


225 


Whether  you  are  constructing  a  new  plant  or  operating  an  old 
one,  you  should  equip  it  with  the  Eggleston  double  nests.  This 
system  will  pay  for  itself  every  year  by  increased  squab 
production,  to  say  nothing  of  the  convenience  in  cleaning  the 
plant. 

Each  pair  of  squab  breeding  pigeons  require  two  nests  as  they 
lay  and  go  to  setting  again  before  their  squabs  are  large  enough 
to  leave  the  nest.    By  this  system  there  are  two  nests  connected 


imaammia^^^m 


SECTION  OF  DOUBLE  NESTS  IN  COURSE  OF  CONSTRUCTION 
The  top  of  the  nests  should  be  entirely  covered  with  lumber  when 


completed. 


with  a  short  running  board,  or  porch,  in  front  of  them,  with  an 
upright  board  separating  the  running  board  in  front  of  the  next 
two  nests  on  the  same  row.  By  this  arrangement  a  pair  of 
pigeons  will  claim  two  nests,  and  fight  off  other  birds  that  light 
on  the  running  board  in  front  of  their  nest  or  try  to  build  in  the 
nest  next  to  the  one  in  which  they  are  building. 

There  are  various  methods  used  for  nest  boxes — orange  boxes, 
egg  crates  and  other  similar  boxes  are  often  used  by  stacking 
them  on  top  of  each  other  and  nailing  a  4-inch  strip  across  the 
front  of  the  boxes,  which  holds  them  together  and  makes  a  pro- 
tection for  the  nest  and  squabs, 


226 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


Some  build  a  rack,  or  beiicli,  18  inches  high,  and  then  set  the 
orange  boxes  or  crates  on  top  of  the  rack. 

The  best  method  is  to  build  the  nest  boxes  out  of  lumber  and 
conform   to   the   Eggleston   double   nest   system.     One-half  inch 


2z3;^ 


SECTION    OF    EGGLESTON    DOUBLE    NESTS 


lumber  is  just  as  good  as  inch  lumber,  is  nmch  clieaper  and  a 
little  easier  to  handle. 

Nine  carpenters  out  of  ten  will  start  to  build  these  nests  by 
running  the  longer  boards  horizontally  like  store  shelves,  and 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES 


227 


then  nail  in  the  upright  partition  with  short  hoards.  Such 
methods  are  wrong.  The  upright  partitions  between  the  nests 
should  be  put  up  first,  and  the  horizontal  ones  should  be  short 
boards,  which  slide  in  on  cleats  and  form  the  nest  bottoms  and 
are  removable. 

HOW  TO  BUILD  EGGLESTON  DOUBLE  NESTS 

The  Eggleston  double  nest  is  not  only  tlie  best  form  of  nest 
to  use  but  one  of  the  most  simple  to  construct  if  properly  done. 
Much  speed  can  also  be  made  if  the  builder  will  follow  the  plan 
here  outlined. 


ANOTHER  VIEW  OF  EGGLESTON  DOUBLE  NESTS 


Anyone  who  can  saw  off  boards  and  drive  nails  can  build  the 
Eggleston  double  nest  quickly  and  make  a  neat  job.  There  are 
really  but  tlu'ee  separate  pieces,  viz:  the  cleated  uprights,  the 
lemovable  nest  bottoms  and  the  short  running  boards  or  porches 
in  front  of  the  nest.  All  three  parts  are  made  separately  before 
putting  them  up.  If  necessary,  these  parts  can  be  made  at  odd 
times  and  even  out  of  odd  scraps  of  lumber.  It  is  best  however 
to  order  special  lumber  for  the  purpose. 

The  upright  partitions  between  the  nests  are  45  inches  long, 
one  half  inch  or  resawed  lumber  is  just  as  good  or  better  for 
this  puri)ose.     Rough  or  undressed  lumber  is  also  as  good  as 


228  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURIi 

dressed  lumber  and  will  cost  less  if  it  can  be  had.  Boards 
six  inches  wide  are  the  easiest  to  handle.  It  takes  three  up- 
right partitions  lor  the  first  row  of  double  nests  and  two  up- 
right partitions  for  each  additional  row  of  double  nests.  Each 
alternate  upright  partition  must  be  18  inches  and  12  inches 
wide  respectively.  The  upright  partition  must  be  cleated  on 
both  sides  with  five  one  inch  cleats,  11  inches  apart  with  the 
exception  of  the  two  partitions  on  either  end  which  should  only 
be  cleated  on  one  side.  Cleats  can  be  secured  from  most  any 
modern  lumber  yard  where  they  have  an  electric  saw.  They 
can  be  ripped  out  of  %  ii^ch  lumber  %  inch  wide  which  is  just 
as  good  as  one  inch  square.  One  half  of  these  cleats  should  be 
18  inches  long  and  the  other  half  12  inches  long  to  correspond 
with  the  width  of  the  upright  partitions. 

Cleats  can  be  nailed  on  quickly  by  nailing  two  cleats  on  at 
the  same  time,  that  is  by  nailing  clear  through  a  cleat  and  the 
partition  into  the  cleat  opposite  on  the  other  side  of  the  parti- 
tion. The  best  way  to  do  this  is  to  make  a  pattern  rack  or  device 
to  hold  the  cleats  in  their  proper  place  which  will  save  measur- 
ing each  time  and  enable  one  to  make  partitions  exactly  of  the 
same  measurement  and  much  faster  than  they  can  be  made 
without  a  pattern  rack.  Even  if  one  is  going  to  make  only 
enough  nest  partitions  for  a  single  nest  room  it  will  pay  to  make 
a  pattern  rack  as  such  a  method  will  save  over  one  half  the  time 
required  to  make  even  single  nests  by  common  every  day  pro- 
cess. 

How  to  Make  Pattern  Rack 

Saw  off  enough  pieces,  two  inches  thick  lumber,  45  inches 
long  to  make  a  table  18  inches  wide,  (naturally  the  number  of 
pieces  will  depend  upon  the  width  of  your  2  inch  thick  lumber). 
Along  one  side  and  across  both  ends  of  this  table,  nail  a  1x6 
inch  piece,  edge  up,  allowing  all  but  2  inches  of  this  board  to 
extend  above  the  surface  of  the  table.  Mark  off  the  rack  or  table 
into  four  equal  parts  which  will  make  each  space  11  inches 
wide,  extending  the  marks  all  the  way  up  the  back  board.  Lay 
an  inch  square  cleat  loose  on  the  table  against  each  of  the  ends 
and  another  inch  cleat  against  these  two  cleats.  Nail  the  two 
latter  cleats  to  the  table,  and  remove  the  first  two  loose  cleats 
laid  down  which  were  only  for  quick  measure.     Then  place 


Equipment  and  loft  necessities 


229 


three  groups  of  cleats  across  the  table  at  each  of  the  three  11 
inch  marks  having  the  center  cleat  of  each  group  centered  di- 
rectly over  the  mark.  Nail  the  two  outside  cleats  of  each  group 
to  the  table  and  remove  the  center  loose  cleats  which  were  used 
only  for  quick  measure  and  your  rack  is  complete  The  11 
inch  marks  must  extend  straight  across  the  table  to  and  up  the 
back  board  and  the  cleats  must  be  the  same  distance  apart  at 
the  back  of  the  table  as  at  the  front.    See  drawing. 


FRAME   ON   WHICH   TO   MAKE   UPRIGHT   NEST    PARTITIONS 
The  above  frame  can  be  made  on  the  top  of  a  bench  or  table  but  it 
IS  preferable  to  make  it  out  of  separate  lumber. 

Place  five  cleats  in  all  five  of  the  inch  wide  spaces  on  the 
pattern  rack  or  table,  cover  them  with  enough  boards  1/2  inch 
hick  or  one  mch  thick  and  45  inches  long  to  make  a  width  of 
18  mches  Then  directly  over  the  two  end  and  the  three  center 
oose  cleats,  lay  five  other  cleats  18  inches  long  and  nail  straight 
hrough  these  top  cleats  down  through  the  partition  boards  into 
hrn  ?rrt^f'  "^^df^^^ath.    Use  nails  long  enough  to  go  almost 

•«n  hf  1  ft'n  'T'  ^^'f '•  ^^^'^  '^''  ''  ^^^^'  the  nest  partition 
can  be  lifted  out  of  the  pattern  rack  completed  with  cleats  on 
both  sides  and  will  be  so  constructed  that  it  can  be  used  either 
end  up. 


230 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    PULTtTRE 


The  12  inch  wide  upright  partitions  are  made  exactly  the 
same  as  the  18  inch  wide  partitions  except  cleats  12  inches  long 
are  used  instead  of  cleats  18  inches  long. 

If  %  inch  square  cleats  are  used  the  form  or  pattern  table 
must  be  made  with  3,4  \uv]\  cleats  instead  of  iucli  s({uare  cleats. 

How  to  Fasten  Up  Eggleston  Double  Nests 

To  fasten  up  the  Eggleston  Double  Nests,  nail  a  2x4  horizon- 
tally, about  IN  inches  from  the  floor  on  to  a  blank  wall  against 
which  the  nests  are  to  l)e  placed.  Then  45  inches  above  the  2x4 
nail  another  one  horizontally,  the  4  inch  side  to  tbe  wall  in  both 
cases. 

It  is  presimied  that  one  end  of  the  row  of  nests  will  start  from 
an  end  wall  in  which  case,  nail  the  first  18  inch  wide  upright 


^  "  "-  -  ~^    ^    ~ 


NEST   BOTTOM 


nest  partition,  cleated  on  one  side  only  against  the  end  wall 
with  the  back  edge  between  the  2x4's  above  mentioned. 

Then  nail  a  12  inch  upright  nest  partition  between  the  2x4's, 
111/4  inch  away  from  the  end — then  an  18  inch  partition  and  a 
12  inch  alternately,  lll^  inch  apart  until  you  get  the  entire  nest 
unit  uj). 

To  fasten  these  upriglit  partitions  in  place,  nail  through  the 
end  (  leat  at  the  bottom  of  each  partition  into  the  lower  horizon- 
tal 2x4  and  toe-nail  Ihiougb  tbe  upjx'r  2x4  into  tbe  toj)  cleats  of 
the  partitions. 

To  determine  the  exact  distance  the  nest  partitions  should  be 
apart,  first  mark  off  the  spaces  11%  inches  wide  on  the  top  of 
the  lower  horizontal  2x4  which  allows  11  inches  for  tb<'  nest 
l)ottom,  1/2  incb  for  tbe  thickness  of  each  partition  and  14  i^^^'^' 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES  231 

leeway  to  make  the  nest  bottoms  easily  removable.  If  the  nest 
partitions  are  made  out  of  inch  lumber  and  allow  an  inch 
instead  of  1/2  incli  for  same  and  if  the  nest  bottoms  are  12  inches 
wide  allow  accordingly. 

Next  take  a  1x4  the  length  of  the  row  of  the  nests  you  are  put- 
ting up  and  mark  it  the  same  as  you  have  marked  the  horizon- 
tal 2x4.  Nail  this  1x4  across  the  top  of  the  nest  partitions  allow- 
ing the  outer  edge  of  the  1x4  to  run  along  even  with  the  outer 
edge  of  the  12  inch  wide  partitions.  This  will  hold  each  parti- 
tion in  its  place  at  the  top  and  the  porch  or  two  feet  long  run- 
ning boards  in  front  of  each  double  nest,  will  hold  each  partition 
in  its  place  at  the  bottom.  The  row  of  nests  should  be  covered 
over  on  top  with  i/^  inch  or  1  inch  lumber. 

The  nests  put  up  in  this  way  will  seemingly  be  suspended 
from  the  wall  without  anything  supporting  them  at  the  front, 
but  such  a  support  is  not  necessary.  The  two  horizontal  2x4's 
will  hold  the  nests  up  easily. 

(See  drawing  of  Section  of  Eggleston  Double  Nests  on  page  225.) 

LIGHT  AND  AIR  FOR  SQUAB  HOUSES 

Houses  should  be  built  so  as  to  furnish  plenty  of  light  and 
ventilation.  The  partitions  between  the  nest  room  and  the  aisle 
should  be  made  up  of  wire,  and  the  partitions  between  the  nest 
rooms  should  be  made  of  open  lattice  work. 

A  door  in  front  opposite  each  nest  room,  and  a  window  in  the 
rear  under  the  eave  in  each  nest  room  will  furnish  plenty  of 
light  and  gives  perfect  control  of  the  ventilation  at  all  seasons 
of  the  year.  The  windows  should  be  hung  so  as  to  open  up  out 
of  the  way  of  the  birds.  The  window  opening  should  be  covered 
with  one-inch  mesh  wire. 

The  wire  door  leading  into  the  fly  pen  should  be  opposite  the 
door  leading  to  the  nest  room,  making  it  convenient  to  go  from 
nest  room  to  fly  pen.  This  outer  wire  door  should  be  provided 
with  two  sections  of  canvas  covered  removable  frames  for  winter 
use  or  stormy  weather.  These  canvas  frames  keep  out  the  cold 
yet  permit  circulation  of  light  and  air,  which  is  very  essential 
in  squab  raising. 


232 


AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 


COLLAPSIBLE  MATING  COOPS 

Mating  coops  are  necessary  to  successful  squab  raising.  I 
have  designed  a  collapsible  mating  coop  that  can  be  hung  up 
in  the  aisle  or  along  any  wall.  They  are  large  enough  for  all 
purposes  and  easy  to  construct.  The  nest  is  located  back  out 
of  the  light,  which  is  an  advantage,  as  well  as  forming  a  semi- 
double  compartment  sufficient  to  keep  the  male  bird  from  fight- 
ing the  female  when  they  are  first  put  together. 

One  end  and  one  side  of  the  coop  are  slatted,  while  the  other 
end  and  side  are  solid.    This  furnishes  plenty  of  light  and  air 


COLLAPSIBLE   MATING   COOP 


without  draft,  an  advantage  often  overlooked  in  mating  coops. 

The  nest  bottoms,  as  I  make  them,  are  removable,  making 
it  easy  to  clean  the  coops,  and  the  coops  are  so  arranged  that 
feed,  water  and  grit  can  easily  be  supplied.  The  coop  is  hinged 
to  the  wall  in  such  a  manner  that  it  can  be  collapsed  and  swung 
against  the  wall  out  of  the  way. 

Each  coop  is  two  stories  high,  thus  a  number  of  pairs  can 
be  mated  up  at  the  same  time. 

If  you  have  a  large  plant  or  a  large  number  of  pigeons,  mating 
coops  are  always  needed,  so  it  is  well  to  provide  them  in  ad- 
vance, with  economy  in  both  material  and  time. 

If  you  have  a  large  number  of  nest  rooms  in  a  row  or  in  close 
proximity,  a  mating  room  with  a  number  of  mating;  coops  can 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES  233 

be  provided  convenient  to  your  nest  rooms.  As  it  does  not  re- 
quire as  much  space  for  mating  coops  as  it  does  for  nest  boxes, 
a  space  four  feet  wide  will  furnish  enough  room  for  a  row  of 
mating  coops  on  one  side  of  the  wall.  A  room  six  feet  wide  is 
sufficient  space  to  have  mating  coops  on  two  walls,  but  if  you 
have  your  squab  house  constructed  on  the  Eggleston  plan,  with 
the  aisle  in  front,  the  aisle  furnishes  a  practical  and  convenient 
place  to  put  mating  coops  of  the  collapsible  design,  as  described 
above. 

If  a  number  of  mating  coops  are  made  together,  a  little  drink- 
mg  trough  can  be  run  along  in  front  of  any  number  of  coops, 
which  will  save  much  time,  or  a  can  or  cup  of  any  kind  can 
be  fastened  on  the  outside  of  each  mating  coop,  and  the  same 
kmd  of  an  arrangement  can  be  provided  for  feed,  grit  and  oyster 
shell,  etc. 

Birds  that  are  shut  up  for  a  few  days  in  this  way  should 
always  be  provided  with  grit  and  oyster  shell.  A  good  method 
IS  to  place  a  can  of  feed  and  a  can  of  oyster  shell  and  grit  in 
front  of  two  mating  coops  so  that  the  birds  in  each  coop  will 
have  access  to  feed  on  one  side  and  oyster  shell  and  grit  on  the 
other.  In  this  way,  one  can  of  shell  or  grit  will  supply  birds 
m  two  separate  mating  coops,  which  will  not  only  save  room 
and  feeding  cans,  but  time  in  filling  them. 

It  is  not  a  good  idea  to  put  the  feed  or  grit  in  where  the  birds 
can  foul  it.  The  best  method  is  to  keep  this  on  the  outside,  but 
It  IS  not  a  bad  plan  to  cover  the  bottom  of  your  mating  coops 
with  coarse  sand  or  fine  gravel,  or  at  least  throw  a  handful  of 
fine  gravel  on  the  floor  of  each  coop. 

No  straw,  tobacco  stems,  or  nesting  material  is  necessary  for 
birds  that  are  just  mating.  By  the  time  they  are  mated  suf- 
ficiently to  be  ready  to  build  their  nest,  they  can  be  taken  out 
and  put  into  a  regular  nesting  room,  with  the  other  birds  It 
IS  not  a  wise  idea,  however,  to  put  birds  back  into  a  pen  with 
their  old  mates,  as  they  are  apt  to  leave  their  new  mates  and 
go  back  to  their  old  ones,  unless  they  have  been  mated  long 
enough  to  raise  a  pair  of  squabs,  then  they  are  not  liable  to 
separate. 


234  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

HOW  TO  BUILD  A  BATH   TROUGH 

The  construction  of  a  bathing  room  along  the  outside  of  a  fly 
pen,  as  is  ilkistrated  by  the  accompanying  picture,  is  a  very 
simple  undertaking,  yet  it  is  a  most  convenient  and  serviceable 
lath  arrangement. 

I  got  this  idea  from  a  city  farmer  who  had  a  similar  arrange- 
ment on  the  outside  of  his  hog  pen,  whicli  he  used  for  swill.    He 


BATHING  AND  DRINKING  TROUGH 
Corner   of   fly   pen.    showing   bathing-   and    drinking    trough    with    bath 
gate  open   and   ready   for  bathing.     When   completed   a   piece  of  heavy 
canvas    is   nailed   at    the   end   of   the   gate    in  order   to  keep  birds   from 
getting    out    or    from    one    pen    to    another. 

would  first  fill  his  trough  up  with  slop  and  then  open  the  swing- 
ing gat<'  at  tli(^  bottom,  which  would  permit  the  hogs  to  get 
to  llie  Irougli.  After  they  had  finished,  the  gate  would  be  closed 
jiid  the  trougli  cleaned  out  and  in  this  way  kept  the  trough 
from  getting  soured  with  the  swill  and  creating  an  offensive  odor. 
To  construct  a  bath  trough  it  is  best  to  select  lumber  that  is 
free  from  ci'acks  or  knots.  Make  the  trougb  10  to  12  inches 
wide,  about  .")  inches  deep  and  as  long  as  the  width  of  your  fly 
pens  or  fly  pen  units.    A  continuous  trough  the  full  length  of  a 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES  2^5 

number  of  fly  pens  can  be  constructed  and  in  tbis  way  several 
pens  of  birds  can  be  watered  or  given  a  batb  sinudtaneously 
and  with  practically  no  more  labor  tban  it  would  take  to  give 
one  pen  of  birds  water  and  a  l)atli. 

After  Hie  trougb  is  made  block  it  up  in  i)lace  at  the  bottom 
and  aloj;g  the  outside  front  of  your  fly  pen.  You  can  make  it 
level  by  pouring  a  little  water  into  the  trough. 

To  keep  it  from  leaking  first  paint  all  the  knot  holes,  joints, 
cracks  and  corners,  both  inside  and  out,  with  a  heavy  coat 
of  asphaltum  or  warm  tar.  When  this  dries,  which  will  only 
take  a  few  minutes,  give  the  trough  another  coat  of  asphaltum 
or  tar,  this  time  covering  the  entire  surface  of  the  trough. 
Should  you  then  find  leaks  at  any  place,  repaint  it  at  that  point 
with  one  or  two  more  coats  of  tar. 

If  a  continuous  trough  is  desired,  two  can  be  joined 
and  made  water  tight  by  tacking  a  piece  of  tin  over  the  joints 
or  one-half  of  two  adjoining  boards  can  each  be  sawed  out  and 
lapped  together. 

After  the  trough  is  made  and  in  place,  make  a  gate  frame 
three  feet  wide  and  as  long  as  the  width  of  each  fly  pen;  then 
nail  the  wire  on  to  this  frame  by  using  the  same  wire  that  is 
in  use  on  the  fly  pen.  You  can  do  this  by  putting  the  frame  in 
place,  tack  the  wire  on  same  and  and  then  cutting  the  wire  on 
the  outside  of  the  frame.  But  before  cutting  the  wire  loose  at 
the  top  of  the  frame,  nail  a  strip  across  the  front  of  the  fly  pen 
about  three  feet  from  the  ground  and  tack  the  wire  on  to  same. 
This  board  will  form  a  piece  on  which  to  hinge  the  gate,  or  the 
wire  can  be  left  uncut  at  the  top  and  thus  will  serve  as  a  hinge. 

This  frame  or  gate  should  swing  down  inside  of  the  trough 
when  shut  and  w^hen  open  should  raise  up  against  the  outer 
top  edge  of  the  trough  and  be  fastened  there  with  a  couple  of 
hooks  or  old  fashioned  wooden  buttons,  as  shown  in  diagram. 
When  the  gate  is  open  the  birds  have  access  to  the  bathing 
trough  and  when  closed  the  trough  can  be  swept  out  and  cleaned 
conveniently. 

To  prevent  the  birds  from  getting  out  at  the  end  of  the  trough 
when  the  gate  is  open,  or  from  getting  from  one  pen  to  another, 
tack  a  three-cornered  piece  of  cloth  to  the  gate  and  the  fly  pen 
the  size  of  the  space  when  the  gate  is  open.  This  cloth  will 
fold  up  like  a  bellows  when  the  gate  is  shut. 


233  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

The  cloth  must  be  long  enough  to  reach  clear  down  to  the 
bottom  of  the  trough  and  be  fastened  on  the  inside  of  the 
trough,  otherwise  birds  will  crawl  under  same  and  go  from  one 
pen  to  the  other. 

Bathing 

If  dirty  bath  water  is  left  where  birds  can  drink  it,  it  is  bad 
for  them.  For  that  reason  it  is  necessary  to  empty  the  bath 
water  soon  after  the  birds  have  bathed  in  it.  This,  together 
with  the  trouble  of  going  into  each  pen  to  fill  bath  pans  and 
many  other  unnecessary  steps  are  saved  by  the  use  of  the 
Eggleston  bathing  system. 

Then,  too,  this  method  provides  a  better  means  for  giving  the 
birds  a  bath  and  has  many  features  of  advantage. 

The  cut  on  page  234  will  show  just  how  to  construct  bath 
troughs,  which  can  be  used  with  or  without  the  little  drinking 
trough  attached.  The  drinking  trough  in  the  nest  room  is  needed 
for  youngsters,  on  the  floor  affords  a  handy  place  for  the  females 
to  get  a  quick  drink  and  is  especially  good  at  feeding  time,  when 
the  old  birds  are  feeding  squabs.  The  drinking  arrangement 
in  fly  pens  is  not  necessary,  but  well  worth  the  little  trouble 
it  takes  to  construc^t  in  connection  with  bath  trough  and,  there- 
fore, I  recommend  it.  Bathing  or  drinking  troughs  can  be  made 
of  wood  or  galvanized  iron.  If  made  of  wood  they  will  need 
a  couple  of  coats  of  hot  coal  tar  or  asphaltum  to  prevent  leaking. 

If  running  water  is  not  available  or  if  water  is  scarce,  a  short 
bath  trough  two  or  three  feet  long  can  be  used  in  front  of  each 
pen,  with  a  short  gate  made  on  the  same  principle  as  a  long 
trough.  In  such  a  case  the  trough  will  have  to  be  filled  by  hand, 
but  even  so  the  work  will  be  done  on  the  outside  of  the  pens 
and  easy  to  get  at. 

When  running  water  is  used,  the  faucet  should  be  placed  above 
the  smaller  drinking  trough,  so  on  other  than  bath  days,  a  small 
dripping  stream  can  be  turned  into  the  drinking  trough  only. 
On  bath  days  the  same  faucet  will  fill  the  bath  trough  if  the 
outer  edge  of  the  drinking  trough  is  made  higher  than  the  edge 
next  to  the  bath  trough,  which  construction  will  also  provide 
a  daily  overflow  into  the  bath  trough  and  keep  it  damp,  thus 
pievcnting  probable  leaks. 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES  237 

Drinking  Troughs 

First,  make  a  three-cornered  trough  out  of  21/4-inch  pieces  of 
hunber  or  out  of  galvanized  iron.  This  trough  should  be  as  long 
as  the  combined  width  of  each  unit  or  nest  room  of  the  squab 
house.  If  made  of  wood  the  trough  should  be  given  two  heavy 
coats  of  asphaltum  to  keep  it  from  leaking;  tar  applied  while 
hot  will  also  prevent  leaking.  In  warm  climates  this  trough 
can  be  run  along  the  outside  of  the  back  wall  just  above  the 
level  of  the  floor,  with  openings  cut  through  with  slats  across 
for  the  birds  to  drink  through. 

In  colder  climates  the  trough  can  be  run  through  the  inside 
of  the  nest  rooms.  In  such  a  case  it  is  best  to  run  it  next  to  the 
back  wall,  where  it  will  be  out  of  the  way  when  cleaning.  A 
removable  cover  for  the  inside  trough  can  easily  be  provided  by 
nailing  a  1x6  inch  board  as  long  as  the  trough  on  to  two  11/2  ii^t"'i 
thick  blocks,  so  when  the  cover  is  on  the  birds  can  get  at  the 
water  to  drink,  but  not  in  the  troughs. 

By  making  these  cover  boards  about  4  feet  long,  two  can  be 
used  in  each  nest  room,  which  will  be  easier  handled  than  a 
longer  one. 

If  the  outside  trough  will  be  in  the  sun  or  where  dirt  will  blow 
in  it,  a  cover  should  also  be  provided.  In  case  there  is  no  city 
or  running  water  available,  then  a  barrel  or  keg  can  be  placed 
at  one  end  of  the  trough  with  a  faucet  set  just  above  the  trough, 
and  turned  on  so  a  small  dripping  stream  only  will  run.  An 
overflow  should  be  provided  for  at  the  farther  end  of  the  trough, 
so  the  water  will  not  run  over  into  the  nest  rooms.  If  water  is 
scarce  provision  can  be  made  to  catch  and  save  the  overflow 
to  be  used  for  bathing  purposes. 

HOW  TO  SUPPLY  DRINKING  WATER  FOR  NEST  ROOMS 
IN    SOUTHERN    OR   WARM   CLIMATE 

In  climates  where  the  winters  are  not  too  severe,  a  small 
"V"  shaped  trough  can  be  run  along  the  outside  of  one  or  a  row 
of  nest  rooms,  on  a  line  with  the  floor  of  the  squab  house  with 
an  opening  cut  into  each  nest  room.  The  opening  should  be 
2  feet  long  and  6  inches  high  with  slats  or  lath  nailed  on  run- 
ning up  and  down  an  inch  and  one-half  apart.    This  will  allow 


238  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

the  pigeons  to  put   their  heads  tJi rough   hetween  the  slats  and 
reach  tlie  water  easily. 

Provide  a  water  faucet  at  one  end  ot  the  trough  so  that  the 
water  will  drip  into  the  trough.  The  tiougli  heing  '\''  shaped 
will  make  it  imssihle  for  hirds  to  diink  with  a  very  small 
amomd  of  water  in  the  trough. 

Where  city  or  numing  water  is  not  at  hand,  a  keg  or  a  harrel 
with  a  faucet  can  he  placed  at  one  end  of  the  trough  and  in  this 
way  the  water  will  he  kept  cool  and  not  hecome  foul  hy  stand- 
ing in  the  nest  rooms.  It  will  save  time  and  trouhle  in  filling 
drinking  fountains  or  pans.  It  is  hest  to  run  the  trough  along 
the  shady  side  of  the  squah  house  and  if  necessary  to  keep  out 
th(  dust  or  dirt,  a  slanting  cover  hinged  on  to  the  house  even 
with  the  top  of  the  openings  and  allowed  to  drop  down  over  the 
trough.  This  cover  will  also  shade  the  water  if  the  trough  is 
0)1  the  sunny  side. 

FEED    BOXES 

If  the  Eggleston  plan  of  squah  house  is  used,  with  an  aisle 
in  front  of  the  nest  rooms,  the  feed  hoxes  should  be  made  to  fit 
the  spaces  on  each  side  of  the  doors  that  lead  to  nest  rooms. 
See  slatted  space  for  that  purpose  in  nest  room  drawing.  The 
slats,  you  will  notice,  are  nailed  on  up  and  down,  and  are  far 
enough  apart  to  permit  the  birds  to  feed  through  them. 

Feed  boxes  should  be  made  5  inches  wide,  2^/2  inches  high 
in  front  and  6  inches  high  at  back.  It  is  best  to  make  these 
boxes  out  of  one-half  inch  lumber,  the  front  at  least  should  be 
made  out  of  thin  lumber,  so  the  birds  can  reach  the  grain  easily. 
(See  "Aisle  Feed  Box"  drawing.)  Two  feed  boxes  should  be 
made  for  each  nest  room,  one  for  each  side  of  the  door;  other- 
wise there  will  not  be  enough  room  for  the  birds  to  eat  all  at 
once,  and  the  first  ones  to  the  feed  box  at  feeding  time  will  eat 
the  choice  grain,  and  those  that  are  crowded  away  will  get  the 
leavings. 

If  feed  boxes  are  required  to  be  placed  in  tlie  center  of  the  loft, 
the  best  method  is  to  make  the  boxes  6  inches  wide,  3  inches 
high  and  about  4  feet  long,  with  a  revolving  roller  above  the 
box  to  keep  the  l)irds  from  perching  on  the  box  <uid  fouling  the 
grain.     The  roller  can  be  made  out  of  one-inch  square  stiip  or 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES 


239 


a  broom  handle  with  a  nail  driven  part  the  way  in  each  end 
to  fit  loosely  in  the  notches  at  top  of  each  end;  or  a  V-shaped 
trough  swung  over  the  feed  box  also  makes  a  good  protector  for 
the  feed. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  FEED  BOX 

There  are  several  things  that  must  l)e  considered  if  a  feed 
])0X  is  constructed  so  as  to  give  best  results.  First:  there  must 
be  enough  room  for  all  the  pigeons  in  a  pen  to  eat  at  the  same 
time,  otherwise  the  stronger  and  older  birds  will  crowd  in  and 
net  the  rnosf  nnd  best  feed  while  the  weaker  and  more  timid 


BOTTOM    OF    AISLE    FEED    BOX 


240  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

birds  will  be  shoved  back  and  will  have  to  take  what  is  left 

Second:  The  box  must  be  constructed  to  prevent  the  birds 
from  getting  into  it  or  perching  on  top  of  it,  thus  taking  up  the 
room  or  fouling  the  feed. 

Third:  TJic  l)ox  must  not  be  so  deep  nor  wide  that  birds  cannot 
staiid  on  the  floor  and  reach  ail  the  feed.  The  thickness  of  the 
side  pieces  which  the  birds  must  reach  over  must  not  be  so  great 
tnat  the  birds  cannot  bend  their  necks  over  same  and  reach 
down  to  the  grain.  A  bird's  neck  is  not  very  long  and  therefore 
they  cannot  leach  very  much  feed  after  reaching  over  a  board 
an  inch  thick. 

Fourth:  The  box  should  be  movable  so  it  can  be  emptied  out 
and  constructed  so  as  to  be  easily  cleaned.  A  good  plan  is  to 
dip  feed  boxes  into  whitewash  made  of  lime  about  once  a  month 
which  will  keep  them  dry,  clean  and  pure  inside  and  out. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  feed  boxes  in  use  but  I  have  seen 
none  so  good  and  practical  as  the  two  that  I  designed.  One  to  be 
used  in  connection  with  my  "aisle  in  front"  plan  and  the  other 
to  be  used  inside  of  the  nest  room  in  the  absence  of  the  front 
aisle. 

The  aisle  feed  box  is  made  as  follows:  First  make  four  ends 
6  inches  square  out  of  one-half  inch  thick  lumber.  Saw  off  a 
three-inch  corner  from  two  of  them  by  cutting  from  the  center 
of  one  side  of  the  block  acvoL-s  the  corner  to  the  center  of  the 
end  of  the  block,  and  then  double  the  four  blocks  by  nailing 
the  two  whole  blocks  to  the  two  blocks  with  the  corners  off. 
This  doubling  up  will  give  you  two  end  blocks  six  inches  square 
and  one  inch  thick  except  at  one  comer  where  the  blocks  will 
be  one-half  inch  thick.  Nail  a  three  inch  board  two  and  one- 
half  feet  long  to  the  ends.  This  will  form  the  bottom  of  the 
feed  box.  The  two  sawed  off  corners  must  be  turned  toward 
each  other  and  the  bottom  board  nailed  to  one  of  the  three  inch 
wide  portions  of  the  ends.  Then  nail  another  three  inch  \vide 
board  two  and  one-half  feet  long  to  the  other  three  inch  wide 
parts  of  the  ends.  This  will  leave  a  space  between  these  two 
and  one-half  feet  long  boards  about  four  and  one-half  inches 
wide.  Over  same  nail  a  one-half  inch  board  two  feet  and  seven 
inches  long  which  should  fit  into  the  two  off-sets  of  the  comers 
across  the  two  ends,  and  form  a  slanting  bottom  at  the  back 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES  241 

of  the  box.  These  three  pieces  will  form  the  bottom  and  the 
back  of  the  feed  box.  Then  nail  a  one-half  inch  thick  board  two 
feet  and  six  inches  long  across  the  front  allowing  the  lower 
edge  of  the  same  to  extend  down  even  with  the  bottom  edge  of 
the  bottom  board  and  your  box  is  completed. 

The  slanting  bottom  will  cause  the  grain  to  roll  to  the  front 
of  the  box  so  that  the  birds  can  reach  it  and  the  front  being 
one-half  inch  thick  and  only  three  inches  high  will  enable  the 


AISLE    FEED   BOX   IN   POSITION 
The  slanting  bottom  in  the  feed  box  serves  two  purposes — to  cause 
the  feed  to  slide  towards  the  front  within  reach  of  the  birds  and  as  an 
opening  to  furnish  light  into  the  lower  box  when  one  box  is  set  on 
top  of  another  for  double  decking  purposes. 


242  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

birds  to  reach  the  grain  in  the  l)ottom.  of  the  box.  An  aisle 
feed  box  can  be  made  with  the  two  ends  sawed  out  of  inch  thick 
lumber  and  the  slanting  portion  of  the  l)ottom  nailed  in  as 
shown  by  cut  herewith. 

Place  one  of  these  feed  boxes  in  the  aisle  on  each  side  of  the 
door  of  the  s(iual)  room. 

DOUBLE  DECK  FEED  BOXES 

If  you  have  so  many  birds  in  a  pen  that  they  cannot  all  get 
to  the  two  aisle  feed  boxes  at  the  same  time  make  two  more 
for  each  nest  room,  the  same  as  described  above  and  set  them 
on  top  of  the  other  two  boxes.  The  square  ends  will  set  on  the 
end  of  the  other  boxes  without  tipi)ing  and  the  slanting  bottom 
in  the  top  box  will  allow  the  light  to  pass  through  so  the  ])irds 
can  see  to  eat  the  feed  in  the  lower  l)ox,  Run  a  one  by  four 
inch  board  on  the  inside  of  the  nest  room  six  inches  a])()ve  the 
floor  along  in  front  of,  and  even  with  the  l)ottom  of  the  upper 
feed  box  for  the  l)irds  to  stand  on  whik'  eating  out  of  the  npjx'r 
box.  This  will  double  your  feeding  capacity  and  give  \ou  ten 
running  feet  of  feeding  space. 

The  detaibnl  description  of  liow  to  nuike  aisle  feed  boxes  makes 
the  operation  seem  difhcnlt  hut  it  is  a  simple  uiuleitaking  and 
a  inmihej"  of  boxes  can   he  made  in  a  shoil  time. 

HOW   TO   BUILD   FEED   HOPPERS 

The  author  is  not  a  l)eliever  of  feeding  pigeons  by  the  use  of 
a  feed  liopper  or  self  feeders  except  where  the  extreme  or  un- 
usual conditions  exist.  For  instance  when  a  few  birds  only  are 
kept  and  the  owner  or  attendant  has  not  the  time  to  feed  his 
l)irds  in  tlie  usual  way  or  where  it  is  nccessar.N  to  feed  i)irds 
enough  to  last  them  several  days.  In  either  case  a  feed  hopper 
can  help  solve  a  bad  problem. 

The  most  practical  hoi)per  is  one  that  has  several  compart- 
ments and  is  so  ai-i'ang(>d  that  each  kind  of  feed  except  peas, 
peamits  and  hemp  can  l)e  kept  in  separate  comi)artments.  In 
this  way  the  i)igeons  will  not  be  forced  to  eat  more  of  a  certain 
kinds  of  grain  than  th(\v  want  in  older  to  get  enough  to  satisfy 
their  hunger. 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES  243 

The  greatest  ol).jectioii  to  a  teed  liopijer  is  the  fact  that  they 
will  clog  up  on  account  of  the  birds  eating  only  certain  kinds  of 
grain  as  it  comes  down  causing  the  uneaten  grain  to  accumu- 
late and  clog  the  hopper.  Tliis  will  not  happen  if  corn  for  in- 
stance, is   put   into  one  compartment,  wheat  in  another,  kafir 


LOFT   FEED   BOX 
The  above  feed  box  is  constructed  with  a  swinging  cover  which  will 
prevent  birds  from  getting  in  the  box  and  soiling  the  feed.     Note  the 
space  in  the  bottom  of  the  cover  for  pouring  the   grain  into   the  box. 
This  makes  it  unnecessary  to  remove  the  cover  for  feeding  purposes. 

corn  in  another,  etc.  The  next  objection  to  a  self  feeder  is  the 
detriment  of  keeping  a  constant  supply  before  the  birds  which 
is  more  than  is  necessary,  hence  expensive,  as  hirds  will  eat 
more  than  they  need. 

A  feed  hopper  or  self  feeder  should  be  built  exactly  along  the 
same  lines  as  the  grit  hopper  described  herein,  except  larger 
according  to  the  number  of  pigeons  to  feed  and  the  length  of 


244 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


time  the  feed  must  last  them  between  filling  periods.  The 
liopper  can  either  be  kept  in  front  aisle  where  the  regular  feed 
boxes  set  or  in  the  nest  room.  If  kept  in  front  aisle  the  top  can 
be  square,  which  wiU  provide  for  more  grain. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  GRIT  HOPPERS 

Grit,  cliarcoal  and  oyster  shell  can  be  kept  in  open  boxes 
such  as  a  tobacco  or  a  cigar  box  but  pigeons  will  foul  anything 
kept  before  them  with  an  open  top.  The  best  plan  therefore 
is   to   provide   a   special   box    for   the    purpose   which   will    be 


THREE-COMPARTMENT    GRIT    HOPPER 
A  three-compartment  hopper  is  the  best  arrangement  for  providing- 
birds  with  grit,   charcoal  and  oyster  shell.     When  complete   the  above 
box  has   a  cover  either   hinged   on   or   made   with   cleats   on   the   under 
side  of  the  cover  to  keep  it  in  place.     The  latter  is  preferable. 


EQUIPMENT  AND  LOFT  NECESSITIES  245 

economy  in  the  long  run.    A  three  compartment  hopper  is  the 
best  arrangement  for  grit,  charcoal  and  oyster  shell. 

First:  Saw  out  two  pieces  for  ends  and  two  pieces  for  parti- 
tions just  alike  out  of  one  inch  thick  lumber  as  per  the  cut 
shown  here  with  a  strip  3  inches  wide  nailed  across  the  bottom; 
nail  a  one-half  inch  strip  3  inches  wide  across  the  bottom  of  the 
front,  a  10  inch  board  18  inches  long  across  the  slanting  por- 
tion at  the  lower  part  of  the  back  to  cause  the  grit  to  slide  down 
to  the  front  of  the  hopper  so  the  birds  can  reach  same.  Then 
nail  a  front  board  on  12  inches  wide  and  18  inches  long,  put  on 
a  slanting  cover  12  inches  wide  and  18  inches  long  hinged  at  the 
bottom  of  the  cover  so  it  will  let  down  making  it  easier  to  refill 
the  hopper  without  holding  the  cover  up  or  moving  the  hopper 
away  from  the  wall  where  the  hopper  should  stand  out  of  the 
way  when  in  use.  The  slanting  cover  will  prevent  the  birds 
from  perching  oy  the  hopper.     (See  cut  on  page  244.) 

THE  EGGLESTON  NEST  MATERIAL  RACK 

Nesting  material  sucli  as  tobacco  stems,  alfalfa,  hay,  prairif 
hay,  straw,  etc.,  should  be  kept  within  easy  reach  of  the  birds 
and  the  best  place  to  keep  it  is  in  the  nest  room,  but  unless  it 
is  protected  from  the  birds,  tliey  will  foul  it  by  roosting  on  the 
same,  and  if  it  gets  trampled  down  imder  their  feet  and  gets 
dirty,  they  will  not  and  should  not  use  it  to  make  nests  of. 

The  simplest,  most  convenient  and  practical  and  easiest  to 
construct  rack,  is  a  V-shaped  rack.  This  rack  can  be  placed  on 
the  floor  against  any  wall,  or  if  the  nest  room  is  equipped  with 
Eggleston  double  nest  boxes  or  nest  boxes  that  are  up  off  the 
floor,  it  is  best  to  place  the  material  rack  underneath  the  row 
of  nests,  which  will  prevent  the  birds  from  climbing  on  top  of 
same.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  a  cover  is  necessary  to  keep  the 
l)irds  from  perching  on  the  nesting  material. 

By  having  the  slats  run  up  and  down  and  the  crate  large  at 
the  top  and  small  at  the  bottom,  material  will  by  its  own  weight 
feed  to  the  bottom  of  the  crate,  where  it  can  be  easily  reached 
by  the  birds.  The  slats  should  not  be  over  three  inches  apart, 
which  will  enable  the  birds  to  pull  only  one  stem  at  a  time  and 
l)reveiit  the  material  from  getting  out  in  quantities  where  it 
would  be  strewn  over  the  floor,  soiled  and  wasted. 


246  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

To  make  tho  crate,  fiisl  decide  on  Hie  length  (three  feet  is  a 
good  length),  then  measure  the  distance  from  the  hottom  outside 
edge  of  your  nest  hoxes  to  the  floor  next  to  the  wall,  which  will 
he  tlie  length  of  your  slats.  Nail  the  slats  or  lath  on  to  two  slats 
or  lath  three  feet  in  length  for  the  top  and  hottom  pieces,  which 
will  form  Hie  fiont  of  >our  rack.  The  ends  of  the  rack  can  be 
made  h\-  tacking  three-cornered  pieces  of  chicken  wire  against 
the  wall  or  make  a  triangle  shaped  end  of  lath  or  slats. 

If  the  ciate  is  to  l)e  placed  under  a  row  of  nests  it  sliould  not 
he  nailed  to  the  wall,  as  it  could  not  he  easily  filled,  hut  should 
be  fastened  in  place  by  a  couple  of  hooks  to  the  outer  edge  of 
the  nest,  or  by  the  use  of  a  couple  of  old-fashioned  wooden  I)ut- 
tons  so  the  crate  can  be  unhooked,  puUel  out  and  filled,  shoved 
back  into  place  and  refastened  quickly. 


CHAPTER   XVII 
MANAGEMENT  AND  BOOKKEEPING 

METHODS    OF    MANAGEMENT 

All  management  and  no  work  is  worse  than  all  work  and  no 
management  but  why  not  some  of  each  and  thus  make  both 
more   effective   and   a   pleasur'^. 

A  mixture  of  brains  with  muscle  is  an  essential  thing  around 
a  squab  plant  either  large  or  small.  The  manual  labor  is  not 
so  hard  but  it  soon  becomes  drudgery  if  done  in  a  way  that 
gets  little  or  no  results.  While  work  twice  as  hard  is  like  play 
if  it  is  done  along  well  directed  lines  and  in  a  way  that  will 
cause  one  to  become  interested. 

The  author  when  a  boy  would  gladly  tramp  for  liours  through 
the  snow  rabbit  hunting  or  half  a  night  over  rocks  and  hills 
and  through  thickets  and  swamps  with  hopes  of  catching  a 
coon  or  an  opossum,  while  if  dad  wanted  a  rail  fence  fixed 
up  on  a  cold  day  or  some  chores  done,  that  took  us  imtil  after 
dark,  we  tliought  no  one  on  eartli  had  such  hard  work  to  do. 

This  is  a  little  off  of  the  sidjject,  but  it  illustrates  tlie  fact  that 
one  must  be  interested  before  work  becomes  a  pleasure  and  to 
this  can  be  added  that  the  best  way  to  become  interested  is 
to  plan  out  the  work  in  advance  by  careful  thought  and  study 
and  then  by  accomplishing  what  was  undertaken,  one's  per- 
sonal interest  will  increase  as  time  goes  on  and  especially  so 
if  the  plant  has  been  constructed  along  the  most  practical  lines 
and  equipped  so  as  to  be  labor  saving,  if  good  quality  of  squab 
breeding  birds  hav.e  been  procured  as  a  foundation  stock  and 
everything  else  taken  care  of  along  similar  lines. 

It  costs  no  more  to  do  things  right  whether  with  a  few  birds 
in  a  back  yard  or  large  squab  plants  and  in  the  long  run  it 
costs  less,  to  say  nothing  of  the  time  saved  and  increased  re- 
sults which  repay  over  and  over  for  extra  time  and  thought 
learning  the  right  way  and  for  proper  preparation. 

247 


248  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

It  is  not  enough  that  one  should  learn  the  right  way  and 
start  right,  but  it  is  also  necessary  if  the  fullest  measure  of  suc- 
cess is  to  be  obtained,  to  continue  to  do  things  in  the  right  way. 
A  squab  plant,  large  or  small,  will  not  run  or  manage  itself. 
Someone  must  keep  in  touch  with  the  conditions  and  see  that 
the  birds  have  the  proper  food,  water,  grit,  etc.,  daily  and  that 
everything  is  progressing  smoothly. 

Then  it  is  also  necessary  to  give  some  attention  to  the  financial 
end  of  the  business,  the  best  place  to  purchase  feed  and  other 
necessities,  best  place  to  market  your  squabs,  amount  paid  for 
help  if  help  is  employed  and  if  the  help  is  doing  good,  thorough 
efficient  work. 

The  proper  management  has  considerable  to  do  with  the  suc- 
cess of  any  business  and  this  is  especially  true  with  the  rais- 
ing of  squabs. 

HOW  TO  DREAM  THE  MAXIMUM  SQUAB  YIELD 

Wonderful  as  pigeons  are  and  the  profit  that  can  be  made  from 
the  pigeon  business,  there  is  a  limit  to  what  a  certain  number 
of  pigeons  can  do.  Like  most  other  business,  there  are  two  ways 
to  figure  pigeon  raising:  a  mathematical  calculation,  based  on 
theory  and  a  calculation  based  on  experience  and  actual  tests. 
I  have  demonstrated  over  and  over  that  a  pen  of  good  producers 
will  more  than  double  itself  in  number  every  three  months. 
Fifty  pairs,  for  instance,  will  increase  to  100  pairs  in  three 
months,  to  200  pairs  in  six  months,  400  pairs  in  nine  months, 
and  to  800  pairs  in  twelve  months,  which  ought  to  be  good 
enough  for  any  one;  but,  no  doubt,  there  are  many  who  figure 
like  one  of  my  customers,  who  calculates  that  he  will  have  118 
pigeons  raised  from  one  pair  in  a  years  time.  I  quote  a  recent 
letter  from  him: 

"Dear  Mr.  Eggleston:  The  pair  of  Carneau  pigeons  you  sent 
me  five  months  ago  are  certainly  some  birds.  They  have 
raised  five  pairs  of  squabs  and  the  oldest  squabs  have  mated 
and  now  have  two  eggs  almost  ready  to  hatch.  I  figure  this 
way,  that  by  the  end  of  a  year  I  ought  to  have  118  pigeons.  By 
the  following  table,  which,  no  doubt,  will  be  of  interest  to  you, 
I  have  shown  how  I  am  going  to  have  6,962  birds  at  the  expira- 
tion of  two  years.  At  that  time  I  am  planning  on  no  other 
business  except  my  pigeons."     (See  table  on  next  page.) 


MANAGEMENT  AND  BOOKKEEPING  249 

HOW    ONE    PAIR   OF   PIGEONS    COULD   BREED   TO   A    FLOCK   OF 
118   IN  ONE  TEAR. 

Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May  Jun.  July  Aug.  Sept.  Oct.  Nov.Dec.  Total 

Pair  A. .2         2         2         2         2         2         2         2         2         2         2         2  24 

In  May  pair  B  starts 2        2222222  16 

In  June  pair  C  goes  to  work 2        2        2        2        2        2        2  14 

In  August  pair  D  goes  to  work 2        2        2        2         2        2  12 

In  August   pair  E   starts   producing 2        2        2        2        2  10 

In  September  pair  F  starts  producing 2        2        2        2  8 

In  October  pair  G  is  5  months  old  and  will  produce  2        2        2  6 

In  November  pair  H  is  5  months  old  and  will    produce    2          2  4 

In  December  pair  I  is  5  months  old  and  will  produce 2  2 

October  B's  first  pair  is  5  months  old  and  starts.  .222  6 
November  B's  second  pair  is  5  months  old  and  goes 

to    work    2        2  4 

December  B's  third  pair  is  5  months  old  and  will  produce. .   2  2 
November  C's  first  pair  is  five  months  old  and  goes  to.  .  2        2  4 
December  C's  second  pair  is  5  months  old  and  goes  to  work  2  2 
December  D's  first  pair  is  5  months  old  and  starts  pro- 
ducing        2  2 

Original    Pair    2 


Grand    Total     118 

"Now,  Mr.  Eggleston,  do  you  think  that  my  figures  are  correct, 
and  that  I  may  depend  on  producing  about  that  numJ^er?  If 
not,  how  many  pairs  more  would  advise  me  to  buy  in  order 
that  I  may  have  six  or  seven  thousand  birds  in  two  years  time?" 

BOOKKEEPING 

Like  any  other  business,  a  record  should  be  kept  of  the  ex- 
penditures and  sales.  Unless  one  has  a  large  plant,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  keep  a  full  detailed  set  of  books,  but  a  record  suf- 
ficient to  furnish  the  necessary  information  as  to  the  cost  of  run- 
ning and  maintaining  the  plant  and  the  proceeds  derived  from 
same  should  be  kept. 

This  can  be  done  on  a  small  plan  by  entering  in  one  column 
money  spent  for  house,  equipment,  breeding  stock,  feed  and 
other  expenses,  and  in  another  column,  the  sales  and  money 
taken  in  for  squabs  or  breeders.  But  if  one  expects  to  go  into 
the  business  extensively  or  to  know  the  extent  of  his  profits, 
he  should  keep  a  more  complete  record  by  keeping  account  of 
the  cost  of  each  article  used  and  each  item  of  expense,  so  he  can 


250  AMERICAX    SQUAB    CULTURE 

at  any  time  or  at  th"  end  of  the  year,  know  just  what  it  costs 
him  for  feed,  how  mueh  it  cost  for  lal)or,  .i?en(»ral  upkeep  of  the 
plant,  etc. 

This  will  enal)le  liim  to  manage  more  successfully  the  husi- 
ness,  and  hy  having  such  information  at  hand  he  can  economize 
and  manage  his  husiness  in  such  a  way  that  greater  profits 
can  be  made  than  could  be  with  a  plant  rvnming  haphazardly 
and  without  a  knowledge  of  the  expense  of  the  different  branches 
of  same. 

With  a  largo  i)lant,  at  least  ten  jx-r  cent  ol  tli"  building  and 
equipment  should  be  chaiged  off  anmially  to  i)rofit  and  loss  for 
depreciation,  and  1")  to  2{)  per  cent  of  the  annual  cost  of  breeding 
stock  should  be  charged  to  profit  and  loss,  as  the  actual  life  of 
a  breeder  is  not  more  than  five  to  eight  years. 

One  might  be  losing  money  right  along  and  not  know  it,  or 
his  birds  might  be  bringing  him  a  fairly  good  return  for  the 
investment  and  prol)al)ly  he  would  think  that  they  were  un- 
profitable. Therefore,  even  if  one  has  but  a  few  pair,  it  is  ad- 
visable to  open  up  and  keep  a  i)rofit  and  loss  account,  which 
^\ill  ])rove  more  valuable  than  the  tini'^  spent  in  keeping  it. 

CAUSES  OF  FAILURE 

There  are  failures  in  eveiy  l)usiness.  There  are  people  who 
fail  at  most  everything  they  undertake  and  then  tliere  are  i)eo- 
l)le  who  succeed  at  most  everything,  yet  might  fail  in  some  cer- 
tain line  of  l)usiness. 

There  are  many  causes  of  failure  in  the  squab  business.  As 
a  rule,  however,  they  can  be  traced  to  two  or  three  reasons,  viz.: 
lack  of  care  and  attention  to  business  or  over-estimating  the 
possibilities  of  the  business;  under-estimating  the  knowledge 
and  care  necessary  to  success  and  lack  of  confidence. 

While  squab  producing  pigeons  are  very  prolific  there  is  a 
limit  to  their  possibilities.  Some  people  over-estimate  the  num- 
ber of  squabs  they  can  raise  and  the  rapidity  with  which  a 
flock  can  be  increased  and  then  l)e  disapi)ointed  because  their 
expectations  were  not  realized. 

An  investment  of  $200  or  $300  cannot  be  expected  to  yield 
several  hundred  per  cent  profit,  yet  the  average  person  entering 
the  squab  business  will  calculate  on  starting  with  a  small  num- 


Management  and  bookkeeping  251 

ber  of  pigeons  and  increasing  their  flock  l)y  saving  their  young- 
sters and  maintaining  their  flock  and  other  expenses  by  selling 
their  squabs.  Then,  because  they  cannot  perform  an  impossi- 
bility they  become  discouraged  and  abandon  their  project.  Such 
an  end  should  not  be  classed  as  a  failure. 

A  person  on  the  other  extreme  will,  without  knowing  anything 
about  squab  raising,  start  in  and  expend  a  large  amount  of 
money  for  grounds  and  buildings  much  more  expensive  and 
elaborate  than  necessary  and  build  along  lines  that  are  imprac- 
ticable and  then  buy  a  large  number  of  breeders  to  start  into 
a  business  without  first  having  found  a  possi])le  market  for 
their  squabs  and  without  knowing  very  much  about  what  can 
])e  accomplished.  Their  inexperience  in  caring  for  birds  and 
lack  of  attention  will  cause  them  to  change  their  minds  re- 
garding the  possibilities  of  the  business  with  the  result  that  they 
are  willing  to  abandon  the  proposition  with  a  great  loss. 

Then  there  is  the  real  failure.  This  is  the  man  or  person  who 
enters  the  business  ])ecause  he  has  never  succeeded  in  any  other 
line  but  is  looking  for  an  opportunity  to  get  rich  quick  or  to 
get  an  easy  living  the  balance  of  his  life  without  work.  As  for 
as  his  enthusiasm  lasts  he  does  not  fail  but  soon  he  starts  to 
neglect  his  plant  by  allowing  the  nests  and  squab  rooms  to 
become  foul  and  dirty.  The  birds  have  insufficient  feed  and 
impure  water,  the  pens  are  full  of  unmated  birds  and  the  pres- 
ence of  lice  and  canker,  all  of  which  go  along  with  failure. 

Then  we  have  the  other  extreme  in  real  failure.  This  person 
overdoes  the  work  and  although  possessing  but  a  few  birds 
makes  a  slave  to  the  squab  business.  You  will  find  his  pens 
and  nest  rooms  immaculately  clean.  He  has  a  complete  record 
of  every  bird  in  his  plant,  every  egg  that  is  laid,  and  after  all 
of  this  he  puts  in  the  rest  of  his  time  watching  his  birds  instead 
of  doing  something  else  that  would  bring  him  in  some  money. 

Such  a  man  \\ould  probably  make  a  success  of  the  business 
if  he  had  a  large  plant  and  enough  birds  to  justify  his  time  and 
attention,  but  as  a  rule  his  means  are  limited  and  before  he 
can  get  his  squab  business  on  a  basis  that  will  make  him  a 
living  he  is  at  the  end  of  his  row  finaucialh  aiul  is  forced  to 
give  it  up. 

Summarizing:  A  man  who  does  not  go  into  the  business 
gradually  and  study  it  thoroughly  as  he  progresses  and  expands. 


^t  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTtJiFlE 

and  who  has  no  other  business  to  devote  a  part  of  his  time  to, 
which  will  bring  him  in  an  income  until  he  can  get  his  squab 
business  on  a  basis  sufficiently  large  to  support  him,  will  most 
likely  fail. 

Likewise  will  the  person  who  figures  that  the  squab  business 
is  a  cinch  and  thinks  no  effort  is  required  to  succeed.  Then, 
too,  a  great  deal  depends  on  the  quality  of  the  man,  his  desires 
and  willingness  to  pay  the  price  of  success  by  diligent  effort 
mixed  with  common  sense. 

Almost  any  one  can  make  a  success  of  the  squab  business  if  he 
has  the  desire  to  the  extent  of  putting  forth  the  necessary  effort, 
almost  regardless  of  the  conditions  that  might  confront  him. 
Considerable  depends  on  the  person's  mental  attitude  towards 
the  business.  There  is  also  the  over-confident  person  who  ex- 
pects too  much  and  takes  too  much  for  granted. 

The  squab  business  is  a  success  and  it  is  being  successfully 
carried  on  all  over  the  country  by  people  in  all  walks  of  life  on 
both  a  large  and  small  scale.  The  man  that  goes  into  the  busi- 
ness, therefore,  to  try  it  out  generally  labors  under  a  handicap. 
If  beginners  would  only  understand  that  a  good  breed  of  squab- 
producing  pigeons  will  produce  squabs  in  paying  quantities  if 
given  the  proper  care  and  attention.  Also  that  there  is  a  de- 
mand for  good  squabs  at  paying  prices  and  that  the  business 
was  all  right.  Then,  if  anything  was  wrong  the  fault  could  be 
traced  to  the  keeper  where  it  could  be  remedied  and  his  chance 
for  success  would  be  almost  certain. 

DO'S  AND  DONT'S  FOR  SQUAB  BREEDERS 

Don't  build  the  top  nests  so  high  that  you  can't  see  in  the 
top  row  when  standing  on  the  floor. 

Build  nest  boxes  20  inches  or  so  from  the  floor.  This  will 
tend  to  keep  birds  from  building  on  the  floor. 

Use  the  double  nest  box  system.    Its  worth  is  inestimable. 

Give  birds  Swiss  chard,  lettuce  or  other  green  food  two  or 
three  times  a  week  in  spring  and  summer. 

Furnish  the  birds  with  some  straw  or  hay  or  both  along  witli 
tobacco  stems  for  nest  material.  Especially  so  if  the  tobacco 
stems  are  coarse. 

Don't  fail  to  sprinkle  dry  hydrate  of  lime  (air  slacked)  on  the 


MANAGEMENT  AND  BOOKKEEPING  253 

floor  of  the  squab  house  weekly.    The  birds  will  scatter  it  with 
their  wings  and  it  will  keep  the  entire  room  dry  and  sanitary. 
Squab  house  should  be  cleaned  at  least  once  a  month  and 
nests  after  the  squabs  leave  them. 

Carbolineum,  lime,   tobacco  stems   and   clean   lofts  are  good 
lice  preventatives. 

The  bottom  of  the  fly  pens  should  be  fine  gravel,  then  stir  up 
occasionally  or,  better  still,  add  a  little  fresh  supply  weekly. 

Don't  try  to  catch  birds  with  one  hand.  Use  both  or  a  catch- 
ing net  if  one  can  be  used  to  advantage. 

Pigeons  should  have  plenty  of  fresh  water  before  them  .es- 
pecially at  feeding  time. 

Keep  the  scattered  grain  off  the  floor,  or  it  will  get  fouled 
and  make  the  birds  sick  if  they  eat  it. 

Decide  on  one  breed  and  then  stick  to  it.  There  is  nothing  in 
scattered  efforts. 

Don't  catch  or  hold  birds  by  the  feet  or  one  wing  as  they  will 
iiurt  themselves  trying  to  get  loose. 
Don't  feed  on  the  ground  for  uneaten  grain  will  sour  and  spoil. 
Don't  allow  foul  or  dirty  water  to  stay  in  the  drinking  troughs 
for  it  will  make  the  birds  sick. 

While  salt  is  necessary,  don't  give  pigeons  loose  salt.  Too 
much  salt  will  kill  them.    Make  a  salt  cat  for  each  pen. 

Don't  allow  birds  to  build  on  or  near  the  floor  as  the  squabs 
will  leave  the  nests  too  early.  As  a  preventative,  follow  the 
Eggleston  construction  plan  of  nests. 

The  wire  cover  of  fly  pens  should  not  be  over  6  feet  and  6 
inches  high.    If  higher  you  can't  catch  the  birds  well. 

The  door  of  the  nest  room  should  not  be  at  the  opposite  end 
from  fly  pen  for  with  such  an  arrangement  the  birds  will  fly  olt 
their  nests  and  out  of  loft  when  one  enters. 

Drinking  fountains  should  be  cleaned  frequently.  A  good  plan 
is  to  scald  them  once  a  week. 

Don't  pennit  a  draft  to  blow  through  the  squab  house,  es- 
pecially near  the  floor.    This  does  not  apply  to  fresh  air. 

Don't  be  afraid  of  birds  inbreeding.  Each  pair  is  a  separate 
family.    Then,  too,  a  little  inbreeding  will  do  no  harm. 

One  breed  is  enough  if  it  is  a  good  one.  Keep  the  best  breed 
and  sell  the  rest  if  you  have  more  than  one  kind. 


254  amertcax    squab   cultttre 

Constantly  mating  and  roniating  birds  unless  for  a  purpose 
is  lost  energy  and  slows  up  production. 

Don't  forever  he  doping  your  birds  up  with  medicine.  Good 
feed,  fresh  water  and  the  proper  loft  conditions  is  the  real  dope 
they  need. 

How  would  you  like  to  have  a  quack  doctor  treat  you  wlio 
knew  no  more  about  you  and  your  ailments  than  you  do  about 
pigeons? 

It  is  easy  to  make  a  well  bird  sick  with  medicine. 

Don't  cross  breeds.  A  mule  is  the  only  successful  mongrel 
known  and  it  is  not  prolific. 

Trying  to  practice  economy  by  buying  inferior  birds  to  breed 
from  is  really  extravagance. 

Don't  try  to  economize  by  feeding  bad  grain. 

Never  save  poor,  inferior  squabs  for  breeders,  as  they  will 
reduce  the  quality  of  your  stock. 

Dispose  of  weak  or  inferior  breeders,  especially  so  if  they  are 
males,  as  one  always  has  surplus  males. 

Don't  try  to  raise  squabs  without  some  care  and  attention. 
Better  go  out  of  the  business. 


CHAPTER  XMII 
FANCY  PIGEONS 

CHARACTERISTICS    OF    DIFFERENT   VARIETIES 

Coiisideiinji:  the  vast  diftcMoiice  in  the  general  appearance  of 
the  different  varieties  of  pigeons,  there  is  perhaps  a  more 
marked  distinction  l)et\veen  them  than  with  any  other  animal 
species  and  yet  with  all  their  differences  including  feather 
growth,  color,  size,  characteristics,  etc.,  they  possess  the  same 
common  hahits  and  general  traits.  In  short,  pigeons  are  pig- 
eons the  world  over  though  of  many  varieties. 

It  is  said  there  are  over  three  hundred  kinds  of  hrseds  of 
pigeons,  all  of  which  are  supposed  to  come  from  the  ancient 
Rock  pigeon.  The  Rock  pigeon  in  its  wild  state  has  all  the 
habits  and  characteristics  of  the  domestic  pigeon.  In  fact,  with 
the  exception  that  the  Rock  pigeon  is  uniform  in  size  and  color, 
there  is  little  difference  between  them  and  the  common  barn- 
yard pigeon.  Darwin  and  other  noted  men  who  have  studied 
the  origin  of  pigeons,  claim  that  by  tlie  method  of  selection  and 
elimination,  aided  by  climate  and  other  conditions,  various 
different  breeds  have  been  developed  from  the  Rock  pigeon. 
This  is  borne  out  by  what  is  possible  to  accomplish  now  by 
the  same  process. 

There  are  five  radical  or  extreme  developments  in  pigeons, 
namely:  size,  shape,  color,  feather  arrangement  and  habits. 
Two,  three,  four  and  sometimes  five  of  these  peculiarities  are 
found  developed  in  a  single  breed  of  birds.  The  English  Pouter, 
for  instance,  is  large  in  size,  specially  marked  as  to  color.  His 
feather  arrangement  includes  long  feathers  on  the  legs,  slender 
body  and  crop,  and  its  habit  of  filling  its  crop  with  air  and 
prancing  around  makes  a  marked  difference  in  its  habits.  A 
Tumbler  is  another  example  of  a  breed  with  all  five  distinctions 
being  greatly  developed.  They  are  extremely  small  in  size, 
are  bred  in  solid  colors,  have  a  very  short,  odd  shaped  head, 
are  bred  with  or  without  long  feathers  on  the  feet  and  legs,  and 
will  turn  over  and  over  in  the  air  when  flying.     The  .Jacobin 

255 


256  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

has  its  feather  arrangement  especially  developed;  so  has  the 
Fantail.  The  Runt  has  been  developed  into  the  largest  breed 
of  pigeons.  Archangels,  Magpies,  Satinettes,  etc.,  for  the:r  color; 
Magpies,  Pouters,  Tumblers,  Turbits,  etc.,  for  their  shape,  and 
Tumblers,  Pouters  and  Flying  Homers  for  their  peculiar  habits. 
The  habit  of  the  Homer  to  return  home  in  an  air  line  when  lib- 
crated,  almost  regardless  of  direction,  distance  and  time,  is 
probably  the  most  peculiar  and  remarkable  of  all. 

The  most  convincing  proof  that  all  pigeons  were  developed 
from  a  common  breed  is  the  fact  that  the  results  from  crossing 
two  or  more  of  these  peculiar  breeds  will  produce  an  offspring 
that  will  resemble  the  old  Rock  bird  and  a  few  more  crosses 
will  produce  a  common  barnyard  pigeon. 

RAISING   FANCY    PIGEONS 

There  are  some  200  different  varieties  of  fancy  pigeons.  They 
are  usually  raised  as  a  fancy  or  hobby,  and  their  extreme  shape, 
color,  and  actions  invariably  mark  their  good  qualities,  each 
breeder  endeavoring  to  perfect  his  birds  along  special  lines  pe- 
culiar to  that  particular  breed,  to  a  degree  that  will  enable 
him  to  surpass  other  breeders  of  the  same  variety.  To  determine 
the  winner  in  such  friendly  rivalry,  competition  pigeon  shows 
are  held  where  breeders  of  fancy  pigeons  enter  their  best  birds 
in  competition.  The  prizes  consist  of  cups,  medals,  ribbons  and 
cash,  and  are  offered  by  the  club  or  association  conducting  the 
show. 

Carneaux,  Maltese,  White  Kings  and  other  squab  producing 
pigeons  are  often  entered  in  these  shows,  either  for  advertising 
purposes  or  by  fancy  breeders,  who  delight  in  excelling  in  these 
particular  varieties. 

There  are  recognized  standards  for  each  fancy  variety  which 
are  published  and  obtainable  from  different  pigeon  associations 
throughout  the  country.  A  person  desiring,  therefore,  to  breed 
fancy  pigeons  for  exhibition  purposes,  should  secure  a  standard 
of  the  breed  that  he  desires  to  breed,  so  that  he  will  know  what 
constitutes  a  perfect  bird;  otherwise,  his  efforts  of  development 
would  not  be  along  the  proper  lines. 

There  are  people  who  breed  fancy  varieties  and  keep  them 
for  sale.  Their  ads.  are  generally  found  in  pigeon  magazines 
that  cater  to  the  fancy  end  of  pigeon  raising. 


FANCY  PIGEONS  257 

The  care  of  fancy  pigeons  is  about  the  same  as  the  care  of 
squab  producing  pigeons,  except  of  course  that  peculiar  varie- 
ties require  peculiar  and  special  attention.  Birds  that  are  de- 
veloped principally  for  their  smallness  of  size  require  a  different 
diet  than  a  bird  that  is  developed  chiefly  for  its  large  size.  Birds 
bred  for  their  flying  qualities  require  special  attention  to  develop 
them  along  those  lines,  etc.  The  loft,  fly  pen,  and  nest  arrange- 
ments should  be  about  the  same  as  for  squab  producing  birds, 
where  a  large  number  are  bred,  but  where  there  are  but  a  few 
pairs  it  is  not  materially  necessary  to  use  the  double  nest  sys- 
tem, although  this  is  really  much  easier  when  two  or  three  birds 
are  kept  in  the  same  room. 

MATING  FANCY  PIGEONS 

Mating  fancy  pigeons  is  conducted  in  the  same  way  as  squab 
producing  birds,  except  more  care  and  attention  should  be 
taken  in  order  to  bring  out  certain  qualities  in  the  youngsters. 
In  fact,  the  selection  of  mates  in  the  fancy  game  is  one  of  the 
chief  and  most  particular  parts  of  the  undertaking. 

It  is  claimed  by  some  that  all  fancy,  as  well  as  other  varieties 
of  pigeons,  originally  came  from  the  old  rock  wild  pigeon. 
Whether  they  did  or  not,  there  is  one  thing  evident  and  that 
is  that  all  fancy  pigeons  of  different  varieties  have  been  devel- 
oped more  or  less  by  the  aid  of  man,  and  if  fancy  pigeons  of 
different  varieties  are  crossed,  their  offspring  will  soon  resemble 
common  pigeons,  and  show  more  or  less  blue  with  black  bars 
on  their  wings,  and  in  a  few  generations  \\ill  lose  the  special 
characteristics  of  the  fancy  forefathers. 

DEVELOPING  FANCY  PIGEONS 

Those  who  raise  pigeons  for  fancy,  as  a  rule,  strive  to  create 
by  special  mating  and  selection,  birds  of  special  design,  type 
and  feather  color.  This  is  not  done,  however,  by  crossing  one 
breed  with  another,  but  by  developing  birds  in  a  certain  direc- 
tion according  to  what  is  possible  to  accomplish  with  certain 
breeds. 

A  Fantail  pigeon  can  be  developed  until,  when  they  carry 
their  tail  and  head  in  a  natural  way,  their  tail  feathers  will  be 


258  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

SO  high  and  so  far  forward  that  the  tail  feathers  will  extend 
in  front  of  their  heads. 

Jacobins  have  a  heavy  crest  of  feathers  all  over  their  neck 
and  head.  They  can  be  developed  to  such  an  extent  that  their 
ruffled  feathers  will  completely  blind  them. 

Turbits  that  have  short  heads  and  short  beaks  can  be  so  ex- 
tremely developed  that  they  cannot  eat  grain  from  off  the  ground 
on  account  of  the  freakish  shape  of  their  head  and  beaks,  and 
the  only  way  they  can  eat  is  out  of  a  cup,  where  they  can  grab 
at  several  grains  at  a  time  and  in  this  way  secure  one. 

A  Tumbler  pigeon  turns  over  in  the  air  when  it  flies  and 
Tumblers  can  be  bred  and  developed  to  such  an  extent  that 
they  cannot  fly.  Such  birds  are  called  Parlor  Tumblers.  Every 
time  they  start  to  fly  they  turn  over  backwards  and  when  they 
get  excited  they  continue  to  turn  one  revolution  after  another. 

A  cross  between  a  Fantail  and  a  Turbit  or  a  Fantail  and  a 
Tumbler  or  any  other  two  fancy  pigeons  will  produce  a  mon- 
grel, and  if  a  person  crosses  and  continues  to  recross  different 
breeds,  they  will  in  a  short  time  produce  a  common  pigeon 
without  any  special  feather  markings  or  colors,  but  generally 
blue  with  black  bars.  This  likewise  applies  to  squab  producing 
pigeons. 

Therefore  little  or  nothing  can  be  gained  in  the  way  of  cross- 
ing breeds  and  progress  only  can  be  made  by  developing  breeds 
already  established,  which  were  not  created,  as  most  people 
would  imagine  by  crossing  breeds,  but  by  taking  a  single  breed 
and  developing  it  through  special  mating  and  selection  into 
certain  directions,  with  certain  results. 

I  might  add  that  if  you  have  any  curiosity  as  to  what  would 
be  the  offspring  of  different  breeds  of  pigeons  crossed  together, 
buy  a  common  pigeon  to  start  with  and  save  yourself  the  trouble. 


CHAPTER   XIX 
PIGEONS  THAT  HAVE  FREE  RANGE 

CARE  OF  COMMON  PIGEONS 

The  care  of  common  barnyard  pige6ns  is  about  the  same  as 
the  care  of  squab  raising  or  fancy  pigeons,  except  they  do  not 
require  quite  as  much  daily  attention  for  the  reason  that  they 
have  a  greater  opportunity  to  provide  for  themselves  if  they 
fly  at  liberty.  They,  however,  should  be  furnished,  suitable 
nesting  places  to  protect  them  from  the  weather,  their  nests 
should  be  cleaned  out  and  whitewashed  at  least  twice  a  year; 
salt,  charcoal,  oyster  shell  or  grit  should  be  furnished,  for  often 
birds  are  not  able  to  find  these  essentials  in  their  daily  flights, 
and  this  is  especially  true  with  salt. 

The  common  variety  of  pigeons  do  not  produce  as  many 
squabs  as  regular  squab  raisers  and  their  squabs  are  not  nearly 
as  large,  so  they  do  not  bring  nearly  as  much  per  dozen  on  the 
market.  However,  with  a  little  care  and  attention  you  can  im- 
prove the  results  obtained  from  your  common  birds  to  such  a 
degree  that  you  will  be  well  paid  for  the  trouble. 

If  you  expect  to  make  very  much  profit  from  birds  that  fly 
out  I  would  advise  that  you  increase  the  size  and  squab  raising 
ability  of  your  birds,  either  by  keeping  a  large  sized  variety  of 
birds  or  by  purchasing  odd  cocks  of  large  varieties  and  cross 
them  with  your  common  birds.  You  can  do  this  by  mating  them 
up  with  your  common  hens.  The  average  squab  breeder  in- 
variably has  a  surplus  of  odd  cocks  which  can  be  bought  at  a 
much  less  price  than  mated  birds.  Homer  cocks  are  all  right 
to  cross,  except  that  they  will  fly  away  when  liberated.  It  is, 
their  instinct  to  try  and  find  their  original  home.  Then,  too. 
Homers  are  not  very  much  larger  than  the  common  pigeons 
and  do  not  produce  as  large  a  cross  as  the  Carneaux,  White 
Kings,  Mondaines  or  other  large  breeds.  Runts  are  too  large 
to  cross  with  common  pigeons. 

259 


260  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

HOW  AND  WHEN  TO  FEED  AND  WATER  PIGEONS 
THAT  FLY  OUT 

Birds  that  fly  out,  that  is,  that  are  not  kept  in  fly  pens,  require 
much  less  feeding  than  birds  that  are  kept  confined.  There  is 
an  opportunity  for  birds  that  fly  to  forage  their  living  along  the 
highways,  in  railroad  yards  or  in  public  places  where  stock 
is  kept  or  fed.  The  average  pigeon  will  go  miles  to  secure  food. 
To  attain  much  success,  however,  with  birds  that  fly  loose  you 
should  feed  them  a  little  once  a  day,  otherwise  their  squabs  are 
not  apt  to  receive  a  sufficient  amount  of  food,  and  this  is  es- 
pecially true  in  the  winter  time  when  snow  is  on  the  ground. 

A  little  feed  given  to  them  just  before  sundown  is  the  best 
method  because  then  they  will  have  hunted  all  day  for  feed 
while  if  they  are  fed  in  the  morning  or  during  the  day  they 
will  not  rustle  so  hard  and  soon  acquire  the  habii  of  sitting 
around  waiting  for  feeding  time.  Then,  too,  if  they  are  fed  at 
night  it  has  a  tendency  to  bring  youngsters  or  unmated  l)irds 
home  at  night  which  will  keep  them  from  straying  away. 

Pigeons  that  fly  out  eat  lots  of  green  stuff  such  as  grass, 
weeds,  seeds  and  roots.  They  also  pick  up  a  lot  of  other  ar- 
ticles that  you  would  not  credit  a  pigeon  with  eating.  A  good 
plan  is  to  examine  the  crops  of  some  of  your  squabs  about 
sundown  once  or  twice  a  week  to  ascertain  if  they  are  filled. 
If  so,  the  food  supply  should  be  reduced  a  little.  If  not,  it  should 
be  increased,  but  not  to  the  extent  that  the  birds  will  depend 
too  much  upon  the  feed  that  you  give  them. 

While  it  is  not  a  good  idea  to  feed  birds  that  are  conlined  to 
a  fly  pen  by  throwing  the  grain  on  the  ground,  this  method  will 
do  very  nicely  for  birds  that  fly  out,  for  the  reason  that  you  will 
not  feed  them  more  than  they  will  pick  up  at  one  time,  hence 
there  will  be  no  grain  left  on  the  ground  to  get  v/et  and  become 
sour. 

A  good  plan  is  to  provide  a  smooth  gravel  spot  and  then  throw 
the  grain  on  this  place  each  time.  If  chicken;-;,  hogs,  etc.,  have 
access  to  this  feeding  ground  it  should  be  fenced  off  so  that 
nothing  but  pigeons  can  get  to  the  feed  intended  for  them. 

Pigeons  do  not  hold  their  own  very  well  when  eating  with 
chickens.  A  simple  plan  when  bothered  by  chickens  or  hogs  is 
to  construct  a  platform  a  few  feet  square,  five  or  six  feet  from 


I^lOtiONS   ^HAf   HAVE   FRER   RANGE  261 

the  ground,  high  enough  to  prevent  chickenr,  from  flying  to  it 
and  then  throw  the  pigeon  feed  on  this  platform.  They  will 
soon  Learn  their  feeding  place  and  the  time  ot  day  to  expect 
it,  also  the  person  that  does  the  feeding.  In  a  short  time  they 
will  become  very  tame  and  can  be  trained  to  light  on  your 
shoulder,  eat  out  of  your  hand,  etc. 

Watering  Pigeons  That  Fly  Out 

All  pigeons  drink  lots  of  water,  which  is  a  very  necessary 
part  of  their  diet.  A  convenient  place  should  be  provided  for 
birds  that  fly  out  to  drink  at  any  time  of  the  day  they  might 
desire.  This  will  also  have  a  tendency  to  keep  birds  from  stray- 
ing away  and  often  cause  stray  birds  in  the  neighborhood  to 
establish  their  permanent  residence  with  you. 

During  freezing  weather  it  is  advisable  to  furnish  a  supply 
of  water  about  twice  a  day,  which  should  be  done  about  the 
same  hour  each  day.  The  birds  will  soon  learn  the  hour  that 
they  can  get  a  drink  and  will  be  on  hand  at  that  time. 

HOW  TO  CONSTRUCT  NESTING  PLACES  FOR 
PIGEONS   THAT   FLY    OUT 

The  old-fashioned  idea  of  a  box  on  top  of  a  pole  is  most  gen- 
erally adopted  by  people  who  keep  barnyard  or  common  pig- 
eons. These  outdoor  houses  are  invariably  made  with  little 
protection  from  the  heat  or  cold.  They  cannot  be  cleaned  and 
are  not  readily  accessible.  About  the  only  virtue  to  the  martin 
box  idea  is  the  fact  that  cats,  weazels  and  other  animals  cannot 
easily  get  to  the  birds. 

The  best  arrangement  that  I  know  of  for  birds  that  fly  out  is 
to  assign  them  a  place  in  a  corner  of  a  loft  or  some  suitable 
Iniilding,  put  in  a  double  nest  system  and  make  same  arrange- 
ments as  you  would  for  birds  that  are  kept  in  fly  pens.  Then 
arrange  an  opening  for  the  birds  to  pass  in  and  out,  high  enougli 
up  and  in  a  way  that  cats  and  other  animals  cannot  get  into 
the  lofts. 

Another  good  plan  is  to  build  one  or  more  rows  of  double 
nests  under  the  eaves  of  a  barn  or  outbuilding,  using  the  double 
nest  described  herein  with  removable  bottoms  and  short  running 


262 


AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 


boards  in  front  of  each  double  nest,  except  make  the  upright  in 
front  of  each  nest  so  as  to  leave  a  place  four  inches  square 
for  them  to  go  in  and  out  of.  This  can  be  done  by  nailing  a 
board  16  inches  long  across  the  front  of  the  two  double  nests, 


GROUND    FLOOR    PLAN    FOR    OUTDOOR    PIGEON    HOUSE 


which  will  leave  a  four-inch  space  open  at  each  end  of  the 
16-inch  board.  (See  drawings  and  article  on  outdoor  houses 
for  birds  that  fly  at  liberty.)  If  care  is  taken  in  putting  up  the 
nest  and  they  are  painted  and  trimmed  to  match  the  barn  tlie 
arrangement  can   be  made   attractive  and  not  an   eyesore  as 


PIGEONS  THAT  HAVE  FREE  RANGE 


263 


you  might  suspect.     All  the  nest  boxes  should  be  made  with 
removable  bottoms  so  they  can  be  cleaned  easily. 
Birds  that  are  worth  keeping  at  all  are  worth  furnishing  a 


HOUSE   CONSTRUCTION   I  OR  BIRDS   THAT   FLY   OUT 
The  above  house  is  built   in  ihe  5=an?e  manner  fis   Kggleston  Double 
Nests  are  constructed  with  the  exception  of  the  additional  front  piece 
and  with  the  exception  that  they  are  put  up  in  a  circuitous  manner. 
AH  boards  are  removable  and  are  easy  to  clean, 


264'  AMERICAN  SQUAB  CULTURE 

suitable  place  to  build  and  the  difference  in  squabs  produced 
and  time  saved  in  their  care  ^^•ill  more  than  offset  the  extra 
trouble  to  supply  a  suitable  building  place  for  them. 

The  greatest  objection  to  allowing  birds  to  fly  out  is  the  ac- 
cumulation of  extra  odd  males,  and  unless  you  have  complete 
control  over  your  flock  and  have  a  perfect  check  on  them  the 
males  will  naturally  increase  faster  than  the  females.  A  female 
is  more  delicate,  is  more  ape  to  die,  is  not  as  long  lived  as  the 
male,  is  less  apt  to  live  to  mating  age  and  a  female  egg  is 
less  apt  to  hatch  than  the  male  egg,  all  of  which  has  a  tendency 
to  increase  the  number  of  males  and  decrease  the  females.  A 
good  preventative  against  too  many  cocks  is  to  kill  the  largest 
squabs  and  save  the  smaller  ones  among  nest  mates. 

When  birds  are  flying  out  they  can  be  banded  and  a  check 
kept  on  the  mated  pairs  with  very  little  trouble  if  the  double 
nest  system  is  used,  as  they  will  stay  on  the  nest  much  better 
with  this  arrangement  and  can  be  caught  and  handled  while 
on  the  nest.  Then  when  old  birds  are  disposed  of  those  that  are 
not  banded  can  be  sold  without  disturbing  working  birds.  As 
a  rule,  the  unhanded  birds  will  be  more  males  than  females. 

With  a  little  extra  work  and  trouble  a  trap-door  entrance  can 
be  made  to  close  up  every  nest  in  a  row  of  an  outside  house  with 
one  operation.  With  such  an  arrangement  you  can  close  nests 
at  night  and  in  a  short  time  band  the  birds  caught  on  the  nests. 
You  will  invariably  find  the  female  in  the  nest  with  small 
young  or  eggs  and  the  male  in  the  connecting  or  adjoining  nest. 
For  the  method  of  banding  follow  the  same  plan  as  you  would 
in  banding  birds  that  are  kept  in  fly  pens. 

The  best  and  most  practical  sized  room  is  8  feet  wide  and 
10  feet  long,  with  double  nests  on  each  side  of  the  room,  '.\nd 
these  dimensions  are  the  most  practical,  even  if  an  old  house 
or  barn  of  any  kind  is  modeled  over  into  a  squab  house.  I  think 
it  better  to  partition  off  a  space  8  feet  wide  and  10  feet  long  with 
wire  or  boards  rather  than  to  utilize  a  larger  room.  It  is  often 
necessary  to  catch  birds  for  bandings  and  other  purposes  and 
in  a  large  room  it  is  very  hard  to  catch  them,  and  chasing 
them  makes  them  wild.  Birds  are  much  wilder  and  harder 
to  handle  in  a  large  room,  even  though  you  do  not  try  to  catch 
them  than  they  are  in  a  smaller  place  provided  the  nesting  ar- 
rangement is  properly  arranged  on  both  sides  of  the  wall,  and 


PIGEONS  THAT  HAVE  FREE  RANGE  265 

there  is  a  place  for  the  hirds  to  fly  on  top  of  the  nests  or  to  run 
under  them.  When  you  are  in  a  room  without  such  an  arrange- 
ment, birds  will  become  more  or  less  panicky  on  account  of 
flying  against  each  other  in  so  small  a  place. 

When  birds  are  kept  in  an  attic  or  loft  in  a  barn  or  in  a 
poorly  arranged  space  it  is  better  to  put  in  a  system  of  double 
nests,  one  or  more  rows  high  than  to  allow  the  birds  to  build 
around  haphazardly  in  corners  and  other  places.  These  double 
nests  can  be  bought  ready  made  or  easily  built.  The  advantages 
of  a  double  nest  is  so  great  in  many  ways  that  it  more  than 
pays  to  put  them  in  even  for  temporary  arrangements. 

Pigeons  will  do  well  in  almost  any  kind  of  a  building  or  house 
or  even  in  a  basement  if  not  too  damp,  cold  and  dark,  provided 
proper  nesting  arrangement  is  made  and  they  are  given  proper 
care.  A  little  fresh  air  and  sunshine  is  essential  but  this  can  be 
furnished  in  many  other  ways  than  by  flying  pens.  An  open 
window  or  door  or  a  small  fly  pen  a  few  feet  square,  built  outside 
the  door  or  window,  will  provide  ample  room  for  a  few  pairs. 

OUTDOOR  HOUSE  FOR  PIGEONS  THAT  FLY  AT  LIBERTY 

The  same  principle  that  applies  to  constructing  nest  boxes 
for  indoor  lofts  also  applies  to  the  construction  of  nests  for 
outdoor  houses.  Each  pair  of  birds  should  have  a  double  nest, 
a  short  running  board  connecting  same  and  the  construction 
should  be  so  as  to  make  it  difficult  for  birds  to  claim  i.nd  mo- 
nopolize more  than  one  double  nest. 

The  illustration  on  page  263  shows  an  octagon-shaped  house 
with  32  double  nests  or  64  nests  in  all.  To  build  such  a  house 
one  should  proceed  in  the  same  manner  as  if  he  was  jfoing  to 
construct  nests  to  go  inside  a  squab  house.  That  is  he  should 
make  the  upright  partitions  exactly  the  same,  making  up  a 
number  of  partitions  18  inches  wide  and  45  inches  high  on  both 
sides  at  top  and  bottom,  and  cleats  through  the  center  11  inches 
apart.  ,  An  equal  number  of  partitions  12  inches  wide  and 
cleated  in  the  same  manner  should  be  alternated  with  these  18- 
inch  partitions  the  same  as  nests  in  the  squab  house,  except  they 
can  be  placed  closer  together  at  the  back  than  at  the  front, 
which  will  form  a  circular  house  of  most  any  size  desired. 

The  nest  bottoms, for  such  a  house  should  be  made  the  same 
as  the  nest  bottom  for  loft  use  with  the  exception  that  one  side 


266  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

of  each  bottom  will  have  to  be  cut  off  so  as  to  allow  for  the 
angle  caused  by  the  backs  of  the  nests  being  narrower  than  the 
front,  as  illustrated  by  the  ground  floor  drawing  here  shown. 
There  there  is  a  difference  in  the  front  of  the  nest  bottom. 
Instead  of  having  a  short  4-inch  piece  nailed  to  the  bottom  as 
is  shown  in  the  regular  Eggleston  double  nest,  the  front  of  the 


BASE    OF   OUTDOOR   PIGEON   HOUSE 
With  the   construction   shown  above,   cats  and  other  animals   cannot 
get  to  pigeons.     Nest  boxes  are   placed  on  the   platform.      If  the  door 
is  made  to  open  inwards  it  should  not  reach  to  the  bottom  of  the  house. 

two  nests  should  be  made  as  shown  in  the  drawing,  and  nailed 
to  the  running  board  that  goes  in  front  of  each  double  nest.  The 
running  board  and  front  piece,  as  well  as  the  bottom  of  the 
nest,  rest  upon  the  partition  cleats,  making  them  removable 
and  convenient  to  clean.     See  illustration  on  page  263. 

As  a  protection  to  keep  the  nest  front  and  running  board  from 
falling  out  of  place,  tack  them  into  the  cleats  with  a  couple  of 


PIGEONS  THAT  HAVE  FREE  RANGE  267 

small  nails  or,  better  still,  drive  a  couple  of  small  nails  clear 
through  the  porch  at  either  end  near  the  back  of  same  so  that 
the  points  of  the  nails  will  rest  on  the  cleats.  The  points  of 
the  nails  resting  on  the  cleats  will  give  a  slight  elevation  to  the 
running  boards  and  serve  to  cause  the  water  to  drain  off.  This 
will  cause  the  front  board  to  lean  forward,  which  can  be  reme- 
died by  tipping  the  front  board  back  slightly  when  you  are 
nailing  it  on  to  the  running  board. 

When  you  get  the  nest  partitions  up,  the  bottoms  in  and  the 
nest  fronts  and  running  boards  in  place,  your  house  is  complete 
except  the  roof.  Any  kind  of  a  roof  will  do — roofing  paper, 
shingles  or  tin.  Roofing  paper  is  the  cheapest,  easiest  to  put  on 
and  looks  just  as  well,  if  painted. 

A  house  of  this  description  can  be  made  with  12,  16  or  any 
number  of  sides  and  any  number  of  nests  high. 

A  good  plan  is  to  make  the  house  large  enough  around  to 
allow  room  in  the  center  for  the  purpose  of  getting  to  the  nests 
from,  the  rear  of  same.  This  can  be  done  by  having  a  little 
door  to  let  down  at  the  back  of  each  double  nest. 

A  house  built  in  this  manner  with  16  sides,  2  feet  wide  each, 
would  be  9  feet  8  inches  across  from  outside  to  outside.  With 
such  a  house  I  would  suggest  that  a  window  be  put  in  the  north 
side  to  furnish  light  for  the  center.  The  north  side  is  not  a 
very  good  place  for  nests  in  the  winter  time,  so  a  window  there 
would  not  take  up  any  valuable  space. 

A  house  of  the  above  description  can  be  placed  on  the  top 
of  most  any  building,  but  the  better  plan  is  to  build  a 
framework  about  5  feet  high  to  set  it  on.  If  desired,  this  frame- 
work can  be  enclosed  and  used  as  a  storeroom  for  feed  and 
other  purposes.  By  making  the  framework  considerably  smaller 
at  the  top  than  at  the  bottom  and  thus  allowing  the  nest  house 
to  cxtfnd  out  a  considerable  distance  from  the  top  of  the  frame- 
work, cats  and  other  animals  cannot  climb  up  the  framework 
and  get  to  the  pigeons. 

A  4-inch  strip  naiVed  around  the  bottom  of  the  house  extending 
down  frrm  the  bottom  will  tend  to  prevent  cats  from  jumping 
from  the  framework  and  catching  on  to  the  lower  running  board. 
This  will  also  add  to  the  looks  of  the  construction. 

While  better  results  can  be  obtained  by  keeping  squab  breed- 
ers from  flying  in  houses  and  fly  pens,  there  is  a  good  argument 


268  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

ill  favor  of  allowing  the  birds  to  fly  at  liberty.  The  question 
of  feed  is  the  most  important  argument  in  favor  of  tno  liberty 
plan,  as  birds  will  pick  up  in  the  street,  roads  and  a?ong  rail- 
road tracks  and  like  places  a  large  percentage  of  their  feed. 
This  is  not  only  true  of  common  pigeons  but  of  Homers  and 
most  other  breeds.  Some  of  the  larger  breeds,  however,  like 
Carneaux,  White  Kings,  Runts,  etc.,  will  not  fly  very  far  away 
from  home. 

HOW  TO  KEEP  PIGEONS  THAT  FLY  OUT  FROM 
LEAVING  HOME 

There  are  several  precautions  necessary  to  prevent  birds  that 
fly  at  liberty  from  leaving.  Ample  and  comfortable  nesting 
room  for  the  old  birds  and  roosting  room  for  the  young  ones 
must  be  provided  and  such  accommodations  must  be  arranged 
so  as  to  prevent  much  fighting  and  to  make  it  easy  for  the 
young  or  timid  birds  to  protect  themselves  from  the  attacks 
of  quarrelsome  cocks. 

Young  birds  from  eight  to  twelve  weeks  old  are  more  apt  to 
leave  and  not  return  than  at  any  other  age.  When  youngsters 
are  old  enough  to  w^ell  take  care  of  themselves  the  parent  birds 
will  fight  them.  If  there  is  not  a  convenient  place  for  them  to 
roost  they  are  apt  to  seek  a  new  home  even  though  they  find 
poorer  accommodations  at  their  new  home  than  at  their  old  one. 

If  there  are  other  pigeons  kept  in  the  neighborhood  they  will 
first  start  spending  the  day  with  your  neighbors'  birds  returning 
at  night  to  roost,  but  finally  staying  away  altogether  unless  you 
take  steps  to  induce  them  to  stay  with  you.  Keeping  plenty  of 
water  accessible  for  drinking  and  bathing  purposes  and  feeding 
your  birds  a  little  each  day  just  before  night  will  not  only  help 
to  keep  birds  from  leaving  home,  but  will  attract  stray  birds 
in  the  neighborhood  and  induce  them  to  establish  their  perma- 
nent home  with  you. 

Unless  a  young  cock  can  secure  a  nesting  place  at  mating  age 
he  will  leave  home  and  seek  a  place  where  he  can  secure  a 
nesting  place  and  a  mate. 

Young  females  are  more  apt  to  leave  than  young  males  as 
they  are  easily  attracted  by  your  neighbors  old  males  who  will 
even   visit   your   home   and   decoy   your   young   females   away. 


PIGEONS  THAT  HAVE  FREE  RANGE  269 

Cocks  with  mates  will  even  temporarily  mate  up  with  the  young 
females  in  order  to  decoy  them  away  and  then  forsake  them 
after  they  succeed  in  getting  them  to  leave  you. 

If  you  have  provided  your  young  cocks  with  places  to  build 
they  will  more  than  likely  mate  up  with  the  young  females 
before  they  are  attracted  by  strange  males.  Often  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  catch  the  young  females  when  they  reach  mating  age 
and  shut  them  up  with  odd  cocks  until  they  mate  up  and  then 
turn  them  out. 

ROOSTING  PLACES  FOR  YOUNG  PIGEONS  THAT 
FLY  OUT 

The  young  birds  that  are  to  be  kept  for  breeders  must  be 
provided  with  a  place  to  roost  by  the  time  the  old  birds  wean 
them  as  they  will  fight  them  away  from  the  place  where  they 
were  hatched  and  raised,  forcing  them  to  roost  out  in  the  weather 
for  a  while  and  then  probably  leave  home.  A  roosting  place 
must  be  so  arranged  that  birds  cannot  use  it  for  a  place  to  build 
their  nests  or  it  will  soon  be  occupied  for  that  purpose  and  the 
young  birds  coming  on  will  be  without  a  roosting  place. 

The  best  way  to  provide  a  suitable  roosting  place  is  to  nail 
up  square  blocks  for  perches  along  in  a  row  horizontally  about 
a  foot  apart  against  the  side  of  a  wall,  then  five  inches  above 
same  nail  a  1x6  board  slanting  out  and  down  and  just  above 
that  another  row  of  blocks  for  perches  and  five  inches  over  the 
blocks  place  another  1x6  board  until  you  have  provided  enough 
roosts  to  take  care  of  your  young  birds. 

The  object  of  having  the  perches  small  and  a  foot  apart  is  to 
keep  the  birds  from  fighting  and  thus  prevent  the  more  aggres- 
sive ones  from  fighting  away  the  younger  or  more  weak  ones. 
The  slanting  board  above  each  row  of  perches  will  keep  the 
birds  on  the  upper  rows  from  fouling  those  on  the  row  of 
perches  under  them. 

In  a  southern  climate  the  roosting  perches  can  be  put  on  the 
outside  of  a  building,  up  under  the  eaves  of  a  barn  is  a  good 
place,  but  in  a  cold  climate  it  is  advisable  to  put  them  up  on  an 
inside  wall  or  to  pai'tly  box  tliem  in  so  tbe  birds  will  have  j)ro- 
tection   from  the  cold.     It  is  necessary,  however,   to   place   the 


270  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

roosts  where  the  hirds  are  accustomed  to  staying  or  they  will 
not  find  the  roosts. 

Summing  up  the  art  of  keeping  birds  from  leaving  home  1 
might  say  in  short,  provide  plenty  of  room,  a  place  for  young 
birds  to  roost,  furnish  drinking  and  bathing  water  and  feed 
ih'^m  a  little  just  before  night  each  day. 


CHAPTER  XX 
HOW  TO   SUCCEED 

LEARN  YOUR  BUSINESS 

To  make  the  greatest  success,  one  must  strive  to  learn  all  the 
things  about  pigeons  that  others  know  and  with  this  knowledge 
he  must  add  knowledge  gained  from  personal  experience.  A 
careful  study  of  the  business  is  necessary.  One  cannot  cut 
corners  nor  expect  good  results  without  mixing  brains  with 
backbone,  with  a  keen  desire  to  master  the  science  of  squab 
culture. 

At  the  same  time  one  must  not  jump  at  conclusions.  Too 
often  opinions  are  formed  tod  hastily  and  the  unusual  thing 
is  taken  for  a  basis  on  which  a  wrong  idea  is  formed.  It  takes 
a  large  number  of  birds,  a  period  of  time  and  many  experiences 
to  get  an  average  and  be  able  to  know  what  ordinarily  will 
happen  under  certain  conditions.  Short  tests  and  quick  con- 
clusions are  of  little  or  no  value.  The  unusual  is  liable  to 
happen  and  if  that  experience  is  taken  as  a  criterion,  the  exact 
opposite  would  probably  be  nearer  right  tlian  the  conclusion 
reached.  It  is  better  to  take  the  other  fellow's  word  for  it  and 
abide  by  the  advice  of  those  who  have  had  long  experience 
than  to  depend  too  much  on  short  experiences  of  your  own. 

Like  most  other  things  worth  while,  there  is  considerable  to 
learn  about  the  squab  business  and  all  its  branches. 

The  habits  of  pigeons  and  the  raising  and  marketing  of 
squabs  is  in  a  way  foreign  to  the  things  that  most  people  are 
accustomed  to.  Those  entering  the  business  and  those  engaged 
in  it,  must  not  conclude  that  their  knowledge  regarding  other 
affairs  will  to  a  large  degree  equip  them  with  all  that  is  neces- 
sary to  know  about  pigeons  and  squab  raising. 

As  an  example,  a  person  might  be  an  expert  on  chickens  and 
chicken  raising  but  unless  he  had  made  a  thorough  study  of 
pigeons  and  had  some  practical  experience,  his  chicken  knowl- 
edge would  do  him  more  harm  than  good  if  he  tried  to  apply 
it  to  squab  raising. 

271 


272  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

START  RIGHT 

Do  not  do  things  temporarily  .with  an  idea  that  eventually 
you  will  do  them  better.  It  is  all  right  if  you  know  little  or 
nothing  about  pigeons  to  get  a  pair  or  two  of  most  any  breed 
and  familiarize  yourself  with  their  characteristics  and  habits 
by  watching  and  caring  for  them  for  a  month  or  so  or  during 
the  time  you  are  preparing  your  squab  house.  But  it  is  the 
height  of  folly  to  start  in  the  squab  business  with  inferior  birds, 
a  makeshift  squab  house  and  just  any  old  nest  arrangement 
and  other  equipment  to  match. 

One  cannot  build  a  substantial  building  on  a  poor  foundation 
nor  can  a  squab  business  be  successfully  built  up  without  well 
laid  plans,  good  birds  and  good  conditions  from  the  start. 

CLOSE  ATTENTION 

Ignorance,  neglect  and  carelessness  are  greatly  responsible 
for  most  failures  in  the  squab  business.  You  will  never  know 
too  much  about  the  business.  The  chances  are  you  will  pay 
too  little  attention  rather  than  too  much  attention  to  your  birds 
and  the  business  in  general.  Most  people  are  careless  about 
taking  care  of  one  thing  or  another.  You  can  safely  bet  that 
you  will  be  no  exception  to  this  rule. 

Close  attention  does  not  mean  that  one  should  be  constantly 
bothering  his  birds  nor  giving  them  unnecessary  attention  and 
thereby  wasting  time  and  labor  without  material  benefit. 

Birds  must  be  watered  and  fed  regularly.  Unmated  birds 
must  be  kept  out  of  the  breeding  pens.  Sick  birds  must  be  re- 
moved and  doctored  or  killed.  Underfed  squabs,  broken  eggs, 
ioul  nests,  and  dozens  of  other  things  must  be  promptly  dis- 
covered and  prevented  or  remedied. 

A  hurried,  quick,  thorough  daily  inspection  is  necessary  and 
one  should  know  what  to  look  for,  how  to  remedy  conditions 
quickly  and  effectively. 

DETAILS  ARE   IMPORTANT 

Taking  care  ol  the  little  things  and  paying  strict  attention 
to  tlie  details  are  very  important.  My  experience  lias  been  that 
most  squab  raisers  take  too  much  for  granted  and  do  not  value 


HOW  TO  SUCCEED  273 

the  importance  of  taking  care  of  all  details  in  a  proper  and 
systematic  way.  They  fail  to  study  the  business  and  do  not 
know  the  many  short  cuts  and  methods  that  make  the  work 
easy  and  insure  success. 

Some  seem  to  think  that  any  old  way  or  any  old  plan  for 
today  will  do  and  as  a  result,  their  work  is  made  hard,  their 
results  are  not  good  and  they  soon  tire  of  the  .business  and 
either  fail  or  drag  along  with  little  prospect  for  future  im- 
provement. 

MAKE  WORK  EASY 

When  constructing  squab  houses,  fly-pens,  nest  boxes,  feed 
and  bath  troughs,  etc.,  bear  in  mind  that  a  little  extra  time  and 
pains  taken  then  will  save  much  time  and  labor  in  the  future. 
Study  and  follow  the  squab  house  and  equipment  construction 
described  herein.  You  cannot  fully  appreciate  the  difference 
in  time  and  labor  saved  and  the  general  results  secured  unless 
you  could  personally  conduct  a  modern  up-to-date  plant  and  a 
makeshift  one  at  the  same  time.  This  applies  to  a  small,  one 
unit  squab  house  as  well  as  a  large  many  unit  plant. 

By  having  nests  with  removable  bottoms  they  are  easy  to 
clean.  Feed  troughs  in  front  aisle  where  they  are  easily  acces- 
sible; bath  and  drinking  troughs  properly  made  so  that  birds 
can  be  watered  and  given  baths  easily  and  quickly;  nest  ma- 
terial racks  and  grit  hoppers  made  along  practical  lines;  mating 
coops,  fly  pens  and  the  general  house  construction  conveniently 
arranged,  your  inspection  work  in  caring  for  young  birds  can 
be  done  quickly  and  easily  and  it  will  become  a  pleasure  instead 
of  something  to  be  endured. 

LOVE  YOUR  WORK 

We  all  like  to  do  the  things  that  we  know  how  to  do  and  can 
do  well.  We  cannot  do  the  things  well  that  we  do  not  like  to 
do.  So  our  efforts,  accomplishments  and  the  pleasure  we  get 
out  of  them,  seem  to  go  in  a  circle.  We  like  to  play  better  than 
we  like  to  work  and  we  like  best  to  play  at  something  we  can 
play  well.  If  we  can  make  play  out  of  work  and  can  learn  to 
do  it  well,  it  becomes  a  great  pleasure.    On  the  other  hand,  if 


274  AMERICAN    SQUAB    CULTURE 

we  make  our  work  a  drudgery  we  will  not  learn  to  do  it  well 
and  will  never  enjoy  doing  it. 

Learn  to  love  your  work  if  you  want  to  make  it  easy  and  to 
do  this  you  must  learn  much  about  it  and  to  do  it  well  work 
should  be  enjoyed  rather  than  endured.  All  these  things  can 
be  cultivated  and  all  go  a  long  way  towards  success. 

To  be  successful  we  must  start  right,  study  the  business,  not 
jump  at  conclusions,  pay  strict  attention  to  details,  love  our 
work,  have  a  fixed  purpose  and  a  full  determination  to  win. 


NDEX 


Page 

Abandoned  Eggs   159 

Age  to  Take  From  Nest 161 

Aisle  Feed  Box 241 

Aisle-in-Front  Plan    215 

Anyone  Can  Raise  Squabs 16 

Appearance  of  Squabs    179 

Archangels    256 

Bad   Boys    Ill 

Banding    102 

Barley 88 

Barren   Females 154 

Bath  Troughs    98,  234 

Bathing 98,  236 

Beautiful   Squab  Houses    34 

Birds   at   Liberty    259 

Bookkeeping    249 

Bowels,  Loose   128,  133 

Boxes,    Nest    224 

Bread  as  Food 89 

Buckwheat   79,  88 

Canker 128,  133 

Care  of  Common  Pigeons 259 

Care  of  Fly  Pens 102 

Care  of  Squabs 154,  161 

Care  of  Squab  Plant 101 

Care  of  Youngsters 154,  162 

Carneaux,  Black   45 

Carneaux,  Origin  of 35 

Carneaux,    Proper    Weight    ....37 

Carneaux,  Slate  Colored 39 

Carneaux,    Solid   Color    50 

Carneaux,  Utility 47 

Carneaux,  Yellow   40 

Carneaux,    White     41 

Changing  Eggs  and  Squabs    ..155 
Characteristics  of  Pigeons,  21,  255 

Charcoal     93 

Close  Attention .272 


Page 

Color  Breeding   114,  116 

Colds    122,    127 

Collapsible  Mating  Coop 232 

Construction   of  Houses..  191,    200 

Corn     79,    89 

Cost  of  Feed    91 

Crosses 71 

Cross  Breeds    71 

Demand  for  Squabs 20 

Details  Are  Important 272 

Developing  Fancy  Pigeons.  ..  .257 

Diarrhoea   128.  133 

Diseases    121,    127,    132 

Disinfectants    107 

Distinguishing    Sex    139 

Do's  and   Dont's    252 

Double  Deck  Feed  Boxes   242 

Double  Nest  System .224 

Dressed  Squabs 178,  182 

Drinking  Troughs .97,  237 

Drinking   Water    ....  . .  . .  .  96,    227 

Dying  of  Squabs 155,  158 

Educating  Customers    188 

Egg  Troubles 129,  154,  166 

Eggs,   Abandoned 159 

Eggs,  Incubation  of 156 

Eggs,  Infertile 166 

Enemies  of  Squab  Plant   107 

English  Pouters    255 

Equal  Number  of  Males  and 

Females   148 

Equipment  for  Plant 224 

Exhibition  Birds 167,   172 

Exhibiting   Birds    163 

Failure,  Cause  of   250 

Fancy  Pigeons 255 

Fantails 257 


275 


276 


INDEX 


Page 

Feather   Coloring    114 

Feather  Rot    129 

Feed  Analysis    85 

Feed,   Composition   of 80 

Feed    Boxes    238 

Feed,  for  Pigeons    77,   86 

Feed.  High  Cost  of 91 

Feed    Hoppers    242 

Feed  Necessary 77 

Feeding  Common  Pigeons    .  .  .  .260 

Feeding.  How  and  When 74 

Feeding    Squabs    130 

Fly  Pens    218 

Flying  Homers    53,  256 

Fried    Squabs     186 

Getting  Started  Right 19.  25 

Going  Light    12p 

Good   Prices 188 

Gravel     92 

Grit    :  .  .  .  .  .9j2 

Grit   Hoppers 244 

Growth  of  Squabs    14|l 

Habits  and  Characteristics  21,  25^ 

Hand   Feeding    ' .  .  .  isb 

Hawks    Ill 

Hatching   Ill,   155,   156 

Health   Grit .  . ..  .9^ 

Hemp  Seed !  .  .  79.  8b 

Home  Use  of  Squabs   ' ...  2b 

Homers     54 

Houses  for  Pigeons  at  Liberty  265 

Housing   19^ 

How  to  Band   .' 10^ 

How  to  Build   19i;  200,   21^ 

How  to  Build  Fly  Pen 21^ 

How  to  Build  Nests 22!;' 

How  to  Construct  Nesting 

Places   26jl 

How  to  Cook  Squabs   186 

How  to  Exhibit 163 

How  to  Improve 149 

How  to  Kill .'.  :i8p 

How  to  Market    179 

How   to    Mate    135 

How  to  Pick     18b 

How  to  Select  Breeders 15p 

How  to  Tell  Sex    139 


Page 

How  to  Start    19,  25 

How   to   Succeed    271 

Hungarians     60 

Inbreeding     119 

Incubation  of  Eggs    156 

Indian   Corn    86 

Improving  Quality    149 

Infertile  Eggs    166 

Inside  of  a  Squab 145 

Jacobins     158 

Kafir  Corn    79.   86 

Keeping   Birds    from    Leaving    268 

Killing    Squabs    180 

Kings    68 

Large   Plants    210 

Learn   Your  Business 271 

Lentils .89 

Lice .107 

Light  and   Air    231 

Line   Breeding    ,116 

Location  of  Plant 212 

Loft    Feed   Box    .243 

Loft  Necessities    224 

Long   Distance    Shipping    184 

Loose  Bowels 128,  133 

Love    Your    Work    273 

Lump    on    Wings    12<) 

Magpies      256 

Make  Work  Easy 273 

Maltese,    Exhibition     62 

Maltese,    Origin    of 61 

Management    247 

Many    Unit    House 205 

Marketing    179 

Mating 135 

Mating    Coops    232 

Mating    Fancy    Pigeons 257 

Maximum    Squab    Yield 248 

Mice .■ 110 

Millet     79.    89 

Mites     107 

Modern    Squab   House 200 

Mondaines.    Crested    67 

Mondaines,   Swiss    64 


INDEX 


277 


Page 

Moulting    113 

Mud  Balls    127 

Nest    Boxes     227 

Nest   Material   Rack    245 

Nest    Partitions     259 

Nesting    Material    106 

Nesting   Places    261 

Oats .    88 

Odd    Cocks     149 

Old   Pigeons    164 

Old    Pigeon    Pie     188 

One   Unit  House    105 

Ornamental    Squab   House 34 

Outdoor    Houses    265 

Overhead    Chute    217 

Owls    Ill 

Oyster  Shells    94 

Paraffin.    Use    of     181 

Parlor    Tumblers     258 

Pattern    Rack     229 

Peas    79,    87 

Picking    Squabs     180 

Pigeon   Diseases    121 

Pigeon    Feeds     77 

Pigeon    Habits     21,     255 

Pigeons   for   Pleasure    33 

Pigeons  for  Profit    14 

Pigeons    at    Liberty 259 

Pigeon   Lice    107 

Pigeon  Milk    89 

Pigeons    with    Chickens 30 

Polish    Lynx     67 

Pouters     256 

Preparing   Squabs   for  Market   179 
Profit  in  Squabs    14 

Racing   Homers    53,    256 

Rape    89 

Rats     110 

Remedies 121,    127,    132 

Rice     88 

Rock    Pigeons     156 

Roosting   Places    269 

Roup   and    Colds    122 

Runts,    Black    59 

Runts,    Blue    57 


Page 

Runts,   Grizzle    57 

Runts,    History    55 

Runts,    Origin    55 

Runts,   Red    59 

Runts,   Silver    58 

Runts,   WTiite    56 

Runts,   Yellow    59 

Salt    94 

Sand    92 

Satinettes    256 

Scalloped   Squabs    187 

Selection    of    Breeders    135 

Selection  of  Youngsters 150 

Serving    Squabs     186 

Shipping    Live    Pigeons    185 

Shipping    Squabs     182 

Show    Birds    167,    172 

Sick    Pigeons    130 

Small     Plants     210 

Small    Squabs     182 

Soft    Shelled    Eggs 3  29,    154 

Sore    Eyes     124 

Sore     Feet     126 

Sour    Craw    128,    134 

Sour  Crop   128.  134 

Sparrows    Ill 

Squab    Breeding    Crosses 72 

Squab  Industry    13 

Squab    Pie     188 

Squab    Souffle     187 

Squabs  Raised  Anywhere 18 

Squabs  Dying    155,   158 

Squabs  for  Home  Use    29 

Squabs  for  Profit   14 

Squabs,    Size    of 141 

Squabs,  Small    159,  160 

Start    Right    272 

Sulphate  of  Iron 95 

Sunflower  Seed    79,  89 

Swiss    Mondaines    64 

Thieves     Ill 

Telling   Males    from    Females,    139 

Tonics    129,   133 

Transferring    Squabs     161 

Tumblers 258 

Turbits     258 


278 


INDEX 


Page 
Utility  Breeds    53 

Varieties    of    Pigeons    255 

Ventilated    Doors    223 

Ventilation    231 

Vermin    107,    129 

Vetches    89 

Watering    96,    237 

"Watering    Common    Pigeons. ..  260 
Watering    Pigeons    261 


Page 

Wheat     79,    87 

When    to   Exhibit    168 

When    to    Start    19 

Where    to    Exhibit    168 

White    Kings    68 

AVhy  Raise  Squabs 13 

Wire  Doors   222 

Wire    Partitions    213 

Youngsters  for  Stock    150 


ADVERTISEMENTS 


De'voied   to    the  Raising    of 
Pigeons  Jor  Utility  and  Fancy 

FRANK  H,  HOLLMANN,  Editor 


EVERY  pigeon  man  should  read  some  first-class  up-to-date 
pigeon  magazine.  And  that  paper  is  the  AMERICAN  PIG- 
EON JOURNAL.  It  contains  practical  discussions  by 
America's  most  successful  pigeon  breeders  on  the  breeding,  feed- 
ing, and  marketing  of  squabs,  as  well  as  giving  the  reports  and 
awards  of  all  leading  pigeon  shows;  their  experiences,  disappoint- 
ments and  successes;  and  profit  by  the  lessons  taught. 

Special  articles  on  culling  of  flock,  banding,  record  keeping, 
scientific  feeding,  watering  and  general  management  of  pigeons 
as  a  hobby  as  well  as  a  business.  If  you  have  any  questions  to 
ask,  remember  our  Information  Bureau  is  at  your  service. 

The  best  all  around  pigeon  publication  in  America — largest  in 
circulation,  reading  matter  and  number  of  illustrations.  Each 
number  a  work  of  art  as  well  as  budget  of  practical  information. 
Published  Monthly.  SUBSCRIBE  NOW!  Three  years  for  only 
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OUB  GUASANTEi:— Send  us  $1  for  a  year's  su'bscriptioxi  (or 
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fair,    isn't  it? 


American  Pigeon  Journal  Company 
DepL  15  Warrentoe^  Missouri,  U.  S,  A. 


Clark  Farm  Lofts 

—The  Home  of— 

One  Thousand  Exhibition  Pigeons 


We  were  the  originators  of  both  the  White 
Carneau  and  the  Black  Carneau. 

At  the  First  National   Show   we   won   Best 
Carneau  in  the  Show  with  a  White  Carneau. 

We  breed  and  offer  the  following  varieties: 
EXHIBITION  CARNEAUX  IN  ALL  COLORS 

Red— Yellow— White— Black— Dun 
REGISTERED  WHITE  SWISS  MONDAINES 

LONG  FACE  CLEAN  LEG  TUMBLERS 
In  All  Colors. 

BLUETTES,  SILVERETTES, 

BLONDINETTES 

AFRICAN  OWLS  IN  ALL  COLORS 


Josiah  H.  Clark 

702  East  23rd  St.,  Paterson,  New  Jersey 


Williamson 

Standard  Pigeon  Houses 
and  Equipment 

The  WILLIAMSON  STANDARD  PIGEON  HOUSES  AND 
EQUIPMENT  are  the  most  practical,  sanitary  and  up-to-date 
ever  used.  You  save  money  by  letting-  us  build  your  houses  and 
equipment. 

The  houses  are  built  in  sections  of  well  seasoned,  tongrued  and 
grooved  boards  on  sides  and  ends,  doors  and  windows  already  in, 
strong  frame  and  good  roofing  material.  Size  8x14  ft.,  elevation 
in  front,  8  ft.  to  gable  and  6  ft.  to  rear  with  5  ft.  alleyway  in 
front,  between  the  nesting  room  and  the  fly  pen  where  the  most 
light  enters  and  the  birds  have  better  light  to  eat  out  of  the  feed 
troughs  that  are  in  the  alleyway  than  when  the  passageway  is  in 
the  rear  as  with  old  style  houses.  A  w^ire  netting  partition  with 
door  divides  the  alleyway  from  the  nesting  room.  Has  door  in 
front  elevation  with  wire  and  cloth  and  windows  of  same  ma- 
terial in  the  rear,  so  constructed  to  give  a  larger  volume  of  light 
and  ventilation  without  drafts  on  the  birds.  A  new  feature  is  a 
wire  partition  running  from  the  edge  of  the  top  row  of  nests  to 
the  ceiling. 

To  erect  the  house  you  merely  bolt  it  together  with  a  wrench 
and  place  the  roofing-  material  on  we  send  you;  after  bolted  to- 
gether you  can  move  it  anywhere  if  you  wish  to.  If  you  add 
more  units  you  only  need  to  unfasten  four  bolts,  remove  the  end 
and  fasten  to  the  next  house  and  so  on  continuously  wlih  a  row 
of  houses.  We  charge  less  money  for  the  second  house  to  be  at- 
tached. It's  advisable  to  purchase  two  or  more  at  a  time  when 
engaged  in  squab  production,  four  is  the  most  economical  way  to 
buy. 

Everything-  in  Williamson  Equipment  is  .standard,  viz:  Every 
part  is  made  to  the  fraction  of  an  inch  and  is  interchangeable. 
You  can  buy  whole  equipment  or  parts  the  same  as  you  would 
for  an  automobile. 

Houses  and  Equipment  boxes  take  low  freight  rates,  packed 
knocked  down,  securely  crated. 

Write  us  for  circulars  and  prices. 

THE  434  Broad  Street 

J.W.WILLIAMSON  glassboro,  n.  J. 

CO.  U.  S.  A. 

Proprietor  of  the   famous   RED  CROSS  HEALTH  GRIT 


